Routine of usual
conductors no longer suffice, and are even contrary to the
dignity and the sublime liberty of the art. Thus, with all due
deference to my complaisant critics, I shall hold myself on every
occasion ulterior to my "insufficiency" on principle and by
conviction, for I will never accommodate myself to the role of a
"Profoss" [Overseer or gaoler.] of time, for which my twenty-five
years of experience, study, and sincere passion for Art would not
at all fit me.
Whatever esteem therefore I may profess for many of my
colleagues, and however gladly I may recognize the good services
they have rendered and continue to render to Art, I do not think
myself on that account obliged to follow their example in every
particular - neither in the choice of works to be performed, nor
in the manner of conceiving and conducting them. I think I have
already said to you that the real task of a conductor, according
to my opinion, consists in making himself ostensibly quasi-
useless. We are pilots, and not mechanics. Well, even if this
idea should meet with still further opposition in detail, I could
not change it, as I consider it just. For the Weymar orchestra
its application has brought about excellent results, which have
been commended by some of my very critics of today. I will
therefore continue, without discouragement or false modesty, to
serve Art in the best way that I understand it - which, I hope,
will be the best. -
Let us then accept the challenge which is thrown to us in the
form of an extinguisher, without trouble or anxiety, and let us
persevere, conscious of right - and of our future.
F. Liszt
Weymar, November 5th, 1853
105. To Wilhelm Fischer, Chorus Director at Dresden
[Autograph in the possession of Herr Otto Lessmann, writer at
Charlottenburg. (Printed in his Allgemeine Musik-Zeitung, 1887,
No. 38.) - The addressee was the well-known friend of Wagner. (See
"Wagner's Letters to Uhlig, Fischer, and Heine." - Grevel & Co.)
Vol. I. 12]
Dear Sir and Friend,
Your letter has given me real pleasure, and I send you my warmest
thanks for your artistic resolve to bring "Cellini" to a hearing
in Dresden. Berlioz has taken the score with him to Paris from
Weymar, in order to make some alterations and simplifications in
it. I wrote to him the day before yesterday, and expect the score
with the pianoforte edition, which I will immediately send you to
Dresden. Tichatschek is just made for the title-role, and will
make a splendid effect with it; the same with Mitterwurzer as
Fieramosca and Madame Krebs as Ascanio, a mezzo-soprano part.
From your extremely effective choruses, with their thorough
musicianly drilling, we may expect a force never yet attained in
the great Carnival scene (Finale of the second act); and I am
convinced that, when you have looked more closely into the score,
you will be of my opinion, that "Cellini", with the exception of
the Wagner operas, - and they should never be put into comparison
with one another - is the most important, most original musical-
dramatic work of Art which the last twenty years have to show.
I must also beg for a little delay in sending you the score and
the pianoforte edition, as it is necessary entirely to revise the
German text and to have it written out again. I think this work
will be ready in a few weeks, so you may expect the pianoforte
edition at the beginning of February. At Easter Berlioz is coming
to Dresden, to conduct a couple of concerts in the theater there.
It would be splendid if you should succeed in your endeavors to
make Herr von Luttichau fix an early date for the "Cellini"
performance, and if you could get Berlioz to conduct his own work
when he is in Dresden. In any case I shall come to the first
performance, and promise myself a very satisfactory and
delightful result. [Dresden did not hear "Cellini" till thirty -
four years later.]
Meanwhile, dear friend, accept my best thanks once more for this
project, and for all that you will do to realize it successfully,
and receive the assurance of the high esteem of
Yours very truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, January 4th 1841
106. To M. Escudier, Music Publisher in Paris
[Autograph (without address) in the possession of Monsieur
Etienne Charavay in Paris. - The contents show to whom it was
written.]
My dear Sir,
My time has been so absorbed by the rehearsals of a new opera in
five acts, "Die Nibelungen", by Mr. Dorn, musical conductor in
Berlin, the first performance of which will take place tomorrow,
and also by a heap of small and great local obligations which
accumulate for me in particular at the beginning of winter, that
I have never yet had a moment in which to send you my very
cordial thanks for your biographical notice on occasion of the
Alexandre Piano, which [i.e., the biographical notice had just
reached me. [A "giant grand piano" with three keyboards and
pedals and registers, made according to Liszt's own directions.]
I hope you will excuse this delay in consideration of the short
time left me, and that you feel sure beforehand how kindly I take
it of you for thus taking my part, in divers circumstances, for
the honor of my name and of my reputation - a matter in which I
will endeavour not to render your task too difficult.
With regard to the Schubert opera of which you again spoke to me
in your last letter, I have a preliminary and very important
observation to make to you - namely, that the rights of the score
of "Alfonso and Estrella," in three acts, were obtained some
years ago by Messrs.
