8. "Heroide funebre."
9. "Hungaria."
By Christmas I intend to bring out the scores of all these - which
would make about fifteen hundred plates in octavo size.
The post affair in regard to your letter with the article on
Raff's "Fruehlingsboten" is very unpleasant to me. Neither has
come into my hands, or else I should assuredly have let you know
much sooner. What has become of it cannot now be traced; a
similar thing happened also with a manuscript sent to me from
Dresden, which was never able to be found. Excuse me, dear
friend, for the carelessness which you supposed I had shown, of
which I am in this case not guilty, as Pohl has already written
to you by my request - and continue to keep for me always your
sympathetic friendship, with which I remain, in complete
harmonious unison,
Yours most truly and gratefully,
F. Liszt
112. To Dr. Franz Brendel
Dear Friend,
Whilst you are trotting about in Leipzig aus Rand und
Band,[Uncontrolledly; a pun on the words Rand and Band (edge of
the paper and volume), Brendel being editor of a paper.] I have
been obliged to keep my bed, owing to a slight indisposition. The
reading of your article in the Jahrbuchern [Year-books] has given
me a pleasant hour, and I thank you heartily for the value and
significance which you accord to my influence and endeavour here,
both in this article and in the topographic section of your book.
As long as I remain here we will take care that Weimar does not
get into a bad way.
I hope to be quite on my legs again in a few days. My present
indisposition is nothing but an overstrain and knock-up, which a
couple of days' rest and some homoeopathic powder will easily set
right. Probably we shall see one another in the early days of
next week at Leipzig; but don't let us speak of it before-hand,
as I have already been three times prevented from making this
little trip.
The Orpheus article was sent to you yesterday. Perhaps it would
still be possible to let it appear in the next number of the
paper; if not, then it can appear the following week. The order
of succession which I gave you by letter appears to me the right
one, and begins with the Orpheus. This article is moreover as
good as new, for, as your paper allowed me more space, I profited
by it to make the earlier articles twice as long.["Gesammelte
Schriften." vol. iii., 1.]
There are several points in your writing that we will soon talk
over viva voca. I am still really very weak today, and merely
wanted to write to thank you, and to tell you of my speedy advent
in Leipzig (probably next Tuesday or Wednesday).
Yours in friendship,
F. Liszt
Wednesday, April 26th, 1854
Your commissions to Cornelius and letter to Cotta have been
attended to.
113. To Louis Kohler
Dear Friend,
I am going once more to give you a pleasure. By today's post you
will receive Richard Wagner's medallion. A friend of mine, Prince
Eugene Sayn-Wittgenstein, modeled it last autumn in Paris, and I
consider it the best likeness that exists of Wagner.
A thousand thanks for all the kind things you write and think of
me. I very much wish that you should be in agreement with my
present and my next work. If I could only dispose of my time
better! But it is a wretched misery to have to spend one's time
upon so many useless things and people, when one's head is quite
full of other things! - Well, it must be so. God grant only
patience and perseverance! I cannot remember for certain whether
I have already sent you the Avant-propos to my Symphonic Poems,
which I have in the meantime had printed on the occasion of their
performance here. In any case I send them, together with the
portrait for which you asked. I am now working at the ninth
number (Hungaria) - the eight others are perfectly ready; but it
will certainly be next spring before they appear in score.
Of pianoforte music I have nothing more to send you (until the
"Annees de Pelerinage" appear at Schott's), except the little
"Berceuse," which has found a place in the "Nuptial Album" of
Haslinger. Perhaps the continuous pedal D-flat will amuse you.
The thing ought properly to be played in an American rocking-
chair with a Nargileh for accompaniment, in tempo comodissimo con
sentimento, so that the player may, willy-nilly, give himself up
to a dreamy condition, rocked by the regular movement of the
chair-rhythm. It is only when the B-flat minor comes in that
there are a couple of painful accents...But why am I talking such
nonsense with you? - Your very perspicuous discovery of my
intention in the second motive of the Sonata -
[Here, Liszt illustrates with a 2-measure score excerpt from his
Sonata]
in contrast with the previous hammer-blows -
[Here, Liszt illustrates with another 2-measure score excerpt
from his Sonata, similar to the first excerpt above except the
melody is transposed and the rhythm is slightly different]
perhaps led me to it.
Farewell, my dear friend, and remain good to your
F. Liszt
Weymar, June 8th 1854
114. To Dr. Franz Brendel
Dear Friend,
I have had to alter a good deal in the "Robert" article,
especially in the division of the subjects. Do not be angry about
it. It will only make a very little trouble, and it pleases me
better like this. Ergo my present Varianten [various readings]
must be printed word for word in the next number.
If you have a couple of hours to spare, come next Saturday to
Halle. Schneider's "Weltgericht [Last Judgment] is to be given
there by the united Liedertafel [Singing Societies] of Dessau,
Magdeburg, Berlin, Halle, etc.
