Believe me, my dear Mr. Hartel,
Yours affectionately and most truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, December 1st, 1851
P.S. - Would it perhaps do to bring out my Fugue on the "Prophete"
as No. 4 of my "Illustrations du Prophete"? That was at least my
first intention. [It was published in that form by Breitkopf and
Hartel.] In the same parcel you will find the piano score of the
"Prophete," which I am very much obliged to you for having lent
me.
79. To Louis Kohler in Konigsberg
[An important piano teacher and writer on music, and composer of
valuable instructive works (1820-86).]
Dear Sir,
The friendly kindness with which you have spoken of a couple of
my latest compositions lays me under an obligation of warm
thanks, which I must no longer delay having the pleasure of
expressing to you. I should be very glad if you find anything
that suits you in my next impending piano publication (the new,
entirely revised edition of my Studies, the "Harmonies Poetiques
et Religieuses," and the two years of "Annees de Pelerinage,
Suite de Compositions," etc.). In any case I shall venture to
send this work, with the request that you will accept it as a
token of my gratitude for the favorable opinion which you
entertain of my artistic efforts.
At this moment I have to compliment you also very much on your
arrangement of the Hungarian "Volkslieder" [Folk Songs]. For
several years past I have been occupied with a similar work, and
next winter I think of publishing the result of my national
studies in a pretty big volume of "Hungarian Rhapsodies." Your
transcriptions have interested me much through the correct
perception of the melodies, and their elegant though simple
style.
Senff [The well-known Leipzig music publisher.] showed me also in
manuscript a book of Russian melodies, that seemed to me most
successful. When will it come out?
If by any chance you have a spare copy of your new work, the
exact title of which I do not remember, but it is somewhat as
follows, "Opern am Clavier" [Operas at the Piano] or "Opern fur
Clavierspieler" [Operas for Pianoforte Players] (or, in French,
"Repertoire d'Opera pour les Pianistes"), I should be much
obliged if you would let me have one.
Accept, dear sir, my best respects, and believe me
Yours truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, April 16th, 1852
80. To Carl Reinecke
My dear Mr. Reinecke,
A very good friend of mine, Professor Weyden of Cologne, who has
just been spending a few days with me here, kindly promises to
give you these few lines and to tell you what pleasure your
present of the "Variations on a Theme of Bach" has given me.
