When we have an opportunity we will talk
further of this; meanwhile it will be a pleasure to me to see and
hear you again. Laub's acquaintance will also interest you; he
has just been playing some pieces with a really extraordinary
virtuosity and bravura, so that we have all become quite warm
about it.
Come, then, as soon as you have a couple of spare days, and be
assured beforehand of the most friendly reception.
With my very best regards,
Yours truly,
F. Liszt
Saturday, January 15th, 1853
96. To Frau Dr. Lidy Steche in Leipzig
[The addressee sang for two winters in the Gewandhaus concerts
(as Frl. Angermann). After her marriage she started a Vocal
Union, in the forties, with which, in December 1853, she gave so
excellent a pianoforte performance of "Lohengrin" at her own
house, and afterwards at the Minerva "lodge," that Hoplit, in his
account of stage performances (Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik), spoke
of the Steche undertaking as a "model performance." This was
before the performance of "Lohengrin" at the Leipzig theater in
January 1854.]
My dear Madame,
I have the pleasure of answering your inquiries in regard to the
performances of the Wagner operas with the following dates: -
For next Wednesday, February 16th, the birthday of H.R.H. the
Grand Duchess, the first performance of the "Flying Dutchman" is
fixed. (N. B. - For that evening all the places are already taken,
and, as a great many strangers are coming, it will be difficult
to find suitable rooms in Weymar.) The following Sunday, February
20th, the "Flying Dutchman" will be repeated; and on the 27th
(Sunday) "Tannhauser" is promised, and on March 5th (Saturday)
"Lohengrin." Between these two performances of February 27th and
March 5th the third performance of the "Flying Dutchman" will
probably take place, of which I can give you more positive
information at the end of this week. The Wagner week proper
begins therefore with February 27th and closes with March 5th,
and if it were possible to you to devote a whole week to these
three glorious works of art I should advise you to get here by
the 27th, - or, better still for you (as you are already quite
familiar with "Tannhauser"), to come in time for the third
performance of the "Flying Dutchman," the date of which is still
somewhat uncertain, but which will probably be fixed for the 2nd
or 3rd March. Immediately after the first performance we shall
get quite clear about it, and I will not fail to let you know
officially the result of the theater Conference here (in which I
am not concerned).
Accept, my dear Madame, the assurance of the high esteem of
Yours most truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, February 4th, 1853
97. To Gustav Schmidt, Capellmeister at Frankfort-On-The-Maine
[Autograph (without address) in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet
at Valentigney. - The contents show to whom the letter was
addressed.]
Dear Friend,
Berlioz's two symphonies, "Romeo and Juliet" and "Faust," have
been twice given here in the course of this winter with the
utmost success. Berlioz was so good as to lend me the score and
parts, - but with the express condition that they should not go
out of my hands. When, at the request of the Leipzig Academy of
Singing [Singacademie], I asked him some weeks ago whether he
would not allow me to place "Faust" at the disposal of the
Leipzig Institute for a proposed performance, he replied to me as
follows: -
"Considering the deplorable performances of which my works have
often been the victims both in Germany and elsewhere, I have
resolved never to lend them in manuscript. Moreover there are
enough of my works printed in score and in separate parts (the
three Symphonies, several Overtures, the 5th May, the Requiem,
etc.) to make it unnecessary to seek for others. If I made an
exception for you," ["Pour toi." Showing that Liszt and Berlioz
employed the "tutoyer" towards one another.] etc...
Although I was perfectly certain that the Leipzig performance
would be a very satisfactory one, as many of my friends took a
lively interest in it, and although I have not the least doubt
that you would be anxious to give "Faust" its full value in
Frankfort, yet you see from the above lines of Berlioz that I, to
my regret, dare not risk any further application to him in this
matter. "Faust," moreover, will appear in score this year in
Paris, and I sent Berlioz his manuscript back a short time ago.
Should you be disposed to perform something or other of Berlioz's
in Frankfort, I can recommend you, first of all, most warmly:-
The two Overtures to "Cellini" and the "Carnaval Romain";
Two numbers out of the Symphony "Romeo and Juliet" -the feast at
Capulet's house and the Queen Mab (Scherzo);
And two Marches from the "Harold" Symphony and the "Symphonie
Fantastique"-the March of the Pilgrims and the "Marche de
Supplice" ["March on the Way to Execution"].
But it will be necessary for you to have several rehearsals - and
indeed separate rehearsals for the quartet, and separate
rehearsals for the wind instruments.
The effect of Berlioz's works can only be uncommonly good when
the performance of them is satisfactory.
They are equally unsuited to the ordinary worthy theater and
concert maker, because they require a higher artistic standpoint
from the musician's side.
I looked through Kittl's [1809-68. Director of the Prague
Conservatorium.] opera some years ago in a piano arrangement,
and, between ourselves, I do not think the work will last.
