I should have liked to be able to send you some of my new works
for piano, of which I spoke to you before; but, as I have been
altering them and touching them up, the publication of them has
been delayed; nevertheless, I expect that in the course of this
summer the twelve "Grandes Etudes" (definitive edition) and the
"Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses" will successively appear,
and in December or January next the "Annees de Pelerinage, Suite
de Compositions pour le Piano," and the complete collection of my
"Hungarian Rhapsodies." Meanwhile, let me offer you the "Concert
Solo" and the two Polonaises which were written at Eilsen shortly
after your visit to me there.
Joachim starts tomorrow for London, and I have commissioned him
to persuade you to come and see me at Weymar on his return. I
have been much attached to him this winter, and I hold his talent
as well as himself in high esteem and true sympathy. -
Try not to delay too long the pleasure I should have in hearing
your trio; I shall be delighted to make the acquaintance of
Madame Reinecke, and would not wish to be among the last to
congratulate you on your happiness.
In cordial friendship, yours ever,
F. Liszt
Weymar, April 16th, 1852
81. To Carl Czerny
[Autograph in the archives of the Musik-Verein in Vienna.]
My dearest and most honored Master and Friend,
A melancholy event which has thrown our Court into deep mourning-
-the sudden death of the Duchess Bernard of Saxe-Weimar - has not
allowed of my presenting your letter to Her Imperial Highness the
Grand Duchess until a day or two ago. She has been pleased to
receive your letter and your intentions with marked kindness, the
expression of which you will find in the accompanying letter
which she charged Baron de Vitzthum to write you in her name.
May I beg you then to advise Mr. Schott to send me immediately on
the publication of your "Gradus ad Parnassum" a dedication copy,
which I will get suitably bound in velvet here, and which I will
immediately remit to H.I.H. - As regards the form of dedication, I
advise you to choose the most simple: -
Gradus ad Parnassum, etc.,
Compose et tres respectueusement dedie a Son Altesse Imperiale et
Royale Madame la Grande Duchesse de Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Marie
Paulowna, par Ch. Czerny.
[Composed and most respectfully dedicated to Her Royal and
Imperial Highness Marie Paulowna, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-
Eisenach by Ch. Czerny.]
Or if the title be in German: -
Componirt und I. kais. kon. Hoheit der Frau Grossherzogin zu
Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach Marie Paulowna, in tiefster Ehrfurcht
gewidmet, von C. Cz.
What you tell me of the prodigious activity of your Muse obliges
me to make a somewhat shameful acknowledgment of my relative
slowness and idleness.
