F. Liszt
87. To Carl Czerny
[Autograph in the archives of the Musik-Verein in Vienna. The
date is wanting; it may be placed, judging from Liszt's letter of
October 30th, 1852, at the above-mentioned date.]
[September or October, 1852]
My Dear, Honored Master And Friend,
Permit me to recommend particularly to you Professor Jahn [The
afterwards celebrated biographer of Mozart], with whose many
interesting works of criticism and musical literature you are
doubtless familiar (among others his Introduction to the original
score of Beethoven's "Leonora," published by Hartel in Leipzig).
Mr. Jahn's object in going to Vienna is to collect documents for
a biography of Beethoven, which will, I am persuaded, supply a
want so much felt hitherto by the public and by artists. May I
beg you - in honor of the great man whom you have had the merit of
comprehending and admiring, long before the common herd joined in
chorus around his name - to open the treasures of your
reminiscences and knowledge to Mr. Jahn, and accept beforehand my
sincere thanks for the good service you will render to Art in
this matter?
It is with unchangeable attachment that I remain, dear master,
your very grateful and devoted
F. Liszt
P.S. - When will the "Gradus ad Parnassum" come out? - You will
receive the copy of my Studies, which are dedicated to you,
through Mr. Lowy in a few days.
88. To Breitkopf and Hartel
[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney]
Weymar, October 30th, 1852
My Dear Mr. Hartel,
I have given up to a friend the piano which you have been so good
as to lend me for some years, and he (as I have already informed
you verbally) asks me to let him defer the payment of it till the
end of this month. I therefore take this opportunity of proposing
to you either to let you immediately have the sum fixed upon for
the piano (400 thalers), or else to make a settlement of
reciprocal terms up to now, by which we shall be quits towards
each other. The pleasure and advantage which I find in my
relations with your house are too valuable to me for me not to do
all in my power properly to maintain them, by conforming to your
wishes and intentions. Of my works published by your house there
are, if I mistake not, five -
12 Etudes d'execution transcendante (2 books), 6 Etudes d'apres
Paganini (2 books), Grand Concerto Solo, Fantaisie and Fugue on
the Chorale from the Prophete (No. 4 of the "Illustrations du
Prophete"), Mass (with Pater Noster and Ave Maria) for four male
voices with organ accompaniment
- upon which we have deferred putting a price until now. Without
trying to deceive myself as to the moderate returns which these
(as it happens, rather voluminous) works may bring to your house,
I should venture however to flatter myself that they have not
been an expense to you, and that they are even works not unsuited
to your catalogue. However things may be, I beg you to be so good
as to use towards me the same sincerity that I employ towards
you, persuaded as I am that sincerity is the only basis of any
lasting connection, especially when one has to do with things
which divers circumstances may render more delicate and
complicated. Allow me then at last, my dear Mr. Hartel, to
propose to you to square our accounts by my keeping your piano in
exchange for the above-mentioned five manuscripts, which should
also acquit me for the works of Marx and Kiesewetter that you
have sent me, so that, if my proposition suits you, we should be
entirely quits.
I was glad to hear that Mr. Jahn had had occasion to be satisfied
with his journey to Vienna, and I beg you to assure him that I am
entirely at his disposal with regard to any steps to be taken to
help on his work on Beethoven, for which I am delighted to be of
any service to him.
In a fortnight's time I am expecting Mr. Berlioz here. The
performances of "Benvenuto Cellini" will take place on the 18th
and 20th November, and on the 21st the Symphonies of "Romeo and
Juliet" and "Faust" will be performed, which I proposed to you to
publish. If your numerous occupations would allow of your coming
here for the 20th and 21st I am certain that it would be a great
interest to you to hear these exceptional works, of which it is a
duty and an honor to me not to let Weymar be in ignorance.
Will you, my dear Mr. Hartel, accept this information as an
invitation, and also tell your brother, Mr. Raymond, what
pleasure a visit from him would give me during the Berlioz week?
We shall, moreover, be at that time in good and romantic company
of artists and critics from all points, meeting at Weymar.
I will send you shortly my Catalogue, which you will greatly
oblige me by bringing out without very much delay. The dispersion
and confusion through which my works have had to make their way
hitherto have done them harm, over and above any wrong that they
already had by themselves; it is therefore of some importance to
classify them, and to present to the public a categorical insight
into what little I am worth. As I have promised to send this
catalogue to many people living in all sorts of countries, I beg
that you will put to my account, not gratis, some sixty copies,
which I fear will not be enough for me, but which will at least
serve to lessen the cost of printing.
