"Auf baldiges Wiedersehen," ["To a speedy meeting"] dear friend -
I leave here by the 9th August at latest. Meanwhile best thanks
for your letter, - and
Ever yours,
F. Liszt
July 28th, 1856.
158. To Joachim Raff
[Raff (1822-82) lived, as is well known, for some years in Weimar
(first of all as Liszt's secretary), and at that time joined the
Liszt tendencies as a composer, afterwards going other ways.]
Dear Sir and Friend,
It is very pleasant to me to find from your letter that you have
taken aright the recognition in my article on the "Sleeping
Beauty," and see unequivocally in its attitude a fresh proof of
the high estimation in which I hold your artistic powers, as well
as of my readiness to be of use to you as far as my insight and
loyalty in Art matters will permit me. In this first discussion
of a work so much thought of and so widespread, it was most
important that I should draw the attention of Art-fellowship to
your entire works and higher endeavors during the past six years.
You will still give me the opportunity, I hope, later on, of
spreading much deserved praise and of placing more in the shade
any chance differences in our views. If I have not placed you
this time so completely as I should have wished among the musical
fellowship of the time, like a Peter Schlemihl,[The man without a
shadow - German fable.] this was partly in consequence of your own
oft-repeated advice that "one should not exclusively praise men
and works if one wishes to be useful to them."[Neue Zeitschrift
fur Musik. Later "Gesammelte Schriften," vol. v.]
I do not always agree with you in this view, but on this occasion
I hope I have hit the happy medium.
Accept my best thanks for the friendly interest you have shown in
my orchestral compositions in the concert direction of Wiesbaden.
Whether I shall be able to comply with several invitations for
concerts in the coming winter depends on a good many
circumstances which I cannot quite settle beforehand. But in any
case I shall be glad if my compositions become more widely
spread, and perhaps during your present stay in Wiesbaden the
opportunity may offer of conducting one or two numbers of the
Symphonic Poems, in accordance with your previous intentions.
At the end of next week at latest I set out for Gran, to conduct
my Mass on the 31st of August (in celebration of the consecration
of the Basilica). Toward the middle of September I go to Zurich,
where, if I am not prevented by any special hindrances, for which
I always have to be prepared, I think of spending a couple of
weeks with Wagner.
Fare you well, dear Raff, and send soon some tidings of yourself
to
Yours most truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, July 31st, 1856.
Hans von Bulow has been with me a couple of days, and goes to
Baden-Baden the day after tomorrow. Winterberger is scoring an
extraordinary triumph by his organ-playing in Holland, and played
the Prophete and BACH Fugue [Fugue on the name of Bach] before an
audience of two thousand people with immense success.
Do not forget to give my friendly greetings to Genast [the
celebrated Weimar actor, afterwards Raff's father-in-law] and my
homage to Mademoiselle Doris [Afterwards Raff's wife, an
excellent actress].
159. To Anton Rubinstein
It is a very great regret to me, my dear Rubinstein, to have to
miss your visit the day after tomorrow, of which you sent me word
by Mr. Hallberger. You know what a sincere pleasure it always is
to me to see you again, and what a lively interest I take in your
new works. This time in particular I am at high tension about the
completion of your Paradise Lost. If the continuation and the end
correspond with the beginning which you showed me, you have
reason to be really and truly satisfied with yourself, and you
may sleep in peace conscious of having written a grand and
beautiful work.
Unfortunately, whatever curiosity I have to be quite assured of
this, I cannot stay here any longer, and must start tomorrow
morning for Gran, where, in spite of a lot of useless talk, the
thread of which you have perhaps followed in the papers, they
will end after all by giving my Mass on the 31st of August (the
day of the consecration of the Basilica). You see that I have
only just time to set the thing on foot, and cannot, without the
risk of unpleasantness, defer my arrival beyond the day which,
moreover, I officially fixed about a week ago.
Please excuse me then, my dear Rubinstein, for my involuntary
fugue, and allow me to make up for it without too much delay. On
my return from Hungary I shall come through Stuttgart (towards
the middle of September). Perhaps I shall find you still there,
which would be a very great pleasure. We would sing together the
choruses, solos, and orchestra of your new score with all our
might! And Winterberger (who has just had a fabulous success at
Rotterdam, Haarlem, etc., where he has given several organ
concerts largely attended) might also be one of the party, for I
expect to make the journey from Zurich with him, and on our way
we shall explore the organs of Ulm, Stuttgart, Friburg, and
Winterthur.
Will you let me know by a few lines what your plans are for the
end of the summer and autumn? Shall you return to Leipzig? Will
it suit you to try your Oratorio first at Weymar?
