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,
