92. To Robert Radecke in Leipzig
[Printed in the Neue Berliner Musik-Zeitung, November 20th,
1890. - The addressee, afterwards Conductor of the Royal Opera,
and present Director of the Royal Academical Institute for Church
Music in Berlin, was formerly Vice-director of the Leipzig
"Singacademie" with Ferdinand David, and, intoxicated with the
first performance of Berlioz's Faust at Weimar, he had determined
to give such another in the Vocal Union of which he was Co-
director. With this object he begged Liszt for the score. But the
plan was not carried out, as Radecke exchanged his post at New
Year, 1853, for that of a Music Director at the Leipzig Town
theater.]
Best thanks, dear Radecke, for your letter and the approved good
intention.
The "Faust" score will be at your service with great pleasure as
soon as I have got it back from Berlioz. It is probable that the
copy which Berlioz will see about for me in Paris will be ready
by Christmas, so that I shall be able to send it you soon after
New Year.
In the course of the winter I intend also to give a performance
of the little oratorio "La Fuite en Egypte," attributed to the
imaginary Maitre de Chapelle Pierre Ducre. This graceful and
interesting work should meet with approbation in Leipzig, and
offers no difficulty either for voice or orchestra. If you keep
the secret, and let your Gesangverein [Vocal Union] study it
under the name of Pierre Ducre, a composer of the sixteenth
century, I am convinced that it will not fail to make an effect.
[Liszt's playful suggestion about the Flight into Egypt was based
upon the fact that Berlioz, on its first performance, had
mystified the Paris public and brought forward the work under the
feigned name of Pierre Ducre, the organist of the Sainte Chapelle
in Paris in the year 1679.]
Joachim goes the day after tomorrow to Berlin; Cossmann is in
Paris; and Nabich [The first trombone player of the Weimar
orchestra, and a most admirable performer on his instrument.] is
performing in London, Liverpool, and Manchester. None the less we
are giving "Tannhauser" next Sunday (12th) (with subscriptions
suspended!), and for this occasion the entire Finale of the
second act and the new ending of the third will be studied.
Now farewell, and be active and cheerful, is the wish of yours
most sincerely,
F. Liszt
December 9th, 1852
93. To Bernhard Cossmann
[Weimar, December, 1852.]
[The date and ending of the letter are wanting, but from its
contents it may be ascribed to this date.]
Thanks, dear friend, for your kind few lines, which have given me
sincere pleasure. Joachim is not yet back from Berlin, and Beck
[The chief tenor (hero-tenor) at the Court Opera] has again got
his old attack of the throat, and I fear rather seriously, from
which these six years of cures, it appears, have not succeeded in
curing him radically. In consequence of this dearth of tenors,
the performances of Wagner's and Berlioz's operas are going to be
put off till February, when I hope that Tichatschek will be able
to come from Dresden and sing "Tannhauser," "Lohengrin," and the
"Flying Dutchman."
As for Cellini [Berlioz's opera]; we shall unfortunately have to
wait until Dr. Lieber, the new tenor engaged for next season, at
present at the Cologne theater, has learnt the part. I hear
Lieber's voice highly spoken of, and it seems that he possesses
also a dose of intelligence sufficient to understand how he ought
to behave here. -
In the matter of news I have one small item to give you - namely,
that on your return your salary will be raised fifty crowns, to
make the round sum of four hundred. - Laub [Ferdinand Laub, a
noteworthy violinist, was engaged for the 1st of January, 1853,
as Joachim's successor as Concertmeister at Weimar.] will arrive
very shortly, and accepts the propositions which have been made
to him. He will not be...
94. To Wilhelm Fischer, Chorus Director in Dresden
[Autograph in the possession of Herr Otto Lessmann at
Charlottenburg. - The addressee was an intimate friend of Wagner's
("Letters to Uhlig, Fischer, and Heine" - Leipzig, Breitkopf and
Hartel, 1889).]
Dear Sir,
By today's post I have sent you a minutely corrected copy of the
score of the "Flying Dutchman."
As this copy was my own property (Wagner had left it for me after
his stay here in 1869) I could not suppose that Uhlig could
expect it back from me as a theater score. The last letter from
Wagner to me has made the matter clear, and I place this score
with pleasure at his further disposal. I have replied to Wagner
direct and fully; he is therefore aware that I have sent you my
copy. [For fuller particulars about this see the "Wagner-Liszt
Correspondence," vol. i., pp. 207-9.]
Allow me to beg you kindly to make my excuses to Herr Heine
[Ferdinand Heine, Court actor and costumier, famous through
Wagner's letters to him.] that I do not answer his letter just
now. His indulgent opinion of our Lohengrtn performance is very
flattering to me; I hope that by degrees we shall deserve still
better the praise which comes to us from many sides: meanwhile,
as the occasion of his writing was just the matter of the
"Hollander" score, and as this is now quite satisfactorily
settled, it does not require any further writing.
With best regards, yours truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, January 13th, 1853
Is Tichatschek coming to our "Lohengrin" performance in February?
Please beg him to try to do so. On Weymar's side nothing will be
neglected, and it will be a real joy to us both.
95. To Edmund Singer
[Formerly Concertmeister at Weimar; at present Court
Concertmeister and Professor at the Stuttgart Conservatorium.]
Dear Sir,
