← catalogue

Letters of Franz Liszt -- Volume 1

by Franz Liszt · English · Gutenberg #3689 · 740,072 chars · public domain (US)

The Project Gutenberg eBook of Letters of Franz Liszt -- Volume 1
    
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online
at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States,
you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located
before using this eBook.

Title: Letters of Franz Liszt -- Volume 1

Author: Franz Liszt

Compiler: La Mara

Translator: Constance Bache


        
Release date: January 1, 2003 [eBook #3689]
                Most recently updated: January 8, 2021

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3689

Credits: This etext was produced by John Mamoun with the Online Distributed Proofreading Team of Charles Franks.


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LETTERS OF FRANZ LISZT -- VOLUME 1 ***
Ver.06/12/01*END*[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart
and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.]
[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales
of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or
software or any other related product without express permission.]





This etext was produced by John Mamoun <mamounjo@umdnj.edu>
with the Online Distributed Proofreading Team of Charles Franks.





Letters of Franz Liszt, Volume 1, "From Paris to Rome: Years of
Travel as a Virtuoso"

by Franz Liszt; letters collected by La Mara and translated by
Constance Bache




CONTENTS



BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
DEDICATION
PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION, BY CONSTANCE BACHE
TABLE OF LETTER CONTENTS
THE LETTERS OF FRANZ LISZT, VOL. 1
INFO ABOUT THIS E-TEXT EDITION



BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH



The Austrian composer Franz Liszt (1811-1886) was a pianistic
miracle. He could play anything on site and composed over 400
works centered around "his" instrument. Among his key works are
his Hungarian Rhapsodies, his Transcendental Etudes, his Concert
Etudes, his Etudes based on variations of Paganinini's Violin
Caprices and his Sonata, one of the most important of the
nineteenth century. He also wrote thousands of letters, of which
260 are translated into English in this first of a 2-volume set
of letters.

Those who knew him were also struck by his extremely
sophisticated personality. He was surely one of the most
civilized people of the nineteeth century, internalizing within
himself a complex conception of human civility, and attempting to
project it in his music and his communications with people. His
life was centered around people; he knew them, worked with them,
remembered them, thought about them, and wrote about them using
an almost poetic language, while pushing them to reflect the high
ideals he believed in. His personality was the embodiment of a
refined, idealized form of human civility. He was the consummate
musical artist, always looking for ways to communicate a new
civilized idea through music, and to work with other musicians in
organizing concerts and gatherings to perform the music publicly.
He also did as much as he could to promote and compliment those
whose music he believed in.

He was also a superlative musical critic, knowing, with few
mistakes, what music of his day was "artistic" and what was not.
But, although he was clearly a musical genius, he insisted on
projecting a tonal, romantic "beauty" in his music, confining his
music to a narrow range of moral values and ideals. He would have
rejected 20th-century music that entertained cynical notions of
any kind, or notions that obviated the concept of beauty in any
way. There is no Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Cage, Adams
and certainly no Schoenberg in Liszt's music. His music has an
ideological "ceiling," and that ceiling is "beauty." It never
goes beyond that. And perhaps it was never as "beautiful" as the
music of Mozart, Bach or Beethoven, nor quite as rational (Are
all the emotions in Liszt's music truly "controlled?"). But it
certainly was original and instructive, and it certainly will
linger.



DEDICATION



To the Memory of
MY BROTHER WALTER,
AND TO OUR
DEAR AND HONORED FRIEND
A.J. HIPKINS, ESQ.,
I DEDICATE THIS TRANSLATION.

--C.B.



PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION, BY CONSTANCE BACHE



In writing a few words of Preface I wish to express, first and
foremost, my appreciation of the extreme care and
conscientiousness with which La Mara has prepared these volumes.
In a spirit of no less reverence I have endeavored, in the
English translation, to adhere as closely as possible to all the
minute characteristics that add expression to Liszt's letters:
punctuation has, of necessity, undergone alteration, but italics,
inverted commas, dashes and other marks have been strictly
observed. It may be objected that unnecessary particularity has
been shown in the translation of various titles, names of
Societies or newspapers, quotations, etc.; but there are many
people who, while understanding French, do not read German, and
vice versa, and therefore it has seemed better to translate
everything. Where anything has been omitted in the printed
letters I have adhered to the sign .--. employed by La Mara to
indicate the hiatus. It has seemed best to preserve the spelling
of all proper names as written by Liszt, and not to Anglicise
any, as it is impossible to do all; and therefore, even at the
risk of a seeming affectation, the original form of the name has
been preserved. In the same spirit I have adhered to the correct
form of the name of our adopted composer Handel, and trust I may
be pardoned for so doing on the strength of a little joke of
Liszt's own "The English," he said, "always talk about Gluck and
Handel!"

La Mara says in her Preface that this collection can by no means
be considered a complete one, as there must exist other letters--
to Liszt's mother, to Berlioz, Tausig, etc.--which it is hoped
may yet be some day forthcoming. In like manner might there not
also be letters to his daughter Madame Ollivier (not to mention
his still-living daughter Madame Wagner)? [Another volume of
Liszt's letters, of a still more intimate character, addressed to
a lady friend, will be published later on.]

The English edition is increased by four letters one to Peter
Cornelius, No. 256A in Vol. I., which is interesting in its
reference to the "Barbier"; and, in Vol. II., a kind letter of
introduction which the Master gave me for Madame Tardieu, in
Brussels; one letter to Walter Bache, and one to the London
Philharmonic Society (Nos. 370A and 370B); one of these, it is
true, is partially quoted in a footnote by La Mara, but at this
distance of time there is no reason why these letters should not
be inserted entire, and they will prove of rather particular
interest, both to my brother's friends, and also as having
reference to that never-to-be-forgotten episode--Liszt's last
visit to England.

This visit, which took place in 1886, a few months before the
Master's death, was for the purpose of his being present at the
performance of his Oratorio of St. Elizabeth (see Letter 370 and
subsequent letters).

More than forty years had elapsed since Liszt's previous visit to
our shores; times had changed, and the almost unknown, and wholly
unappreciated, had become the acknowledged King in a realm where
many were Princes. Some lines embodying in words England's
welcome to this king--headed by a design in which the Hungarian
and the English coats-of-arms unite above two clasped hands, and
a few bars of a leading theme from the St. Elizabeth--were
written by me and presented to Liszt with a basket of roses
(emblematic of the rose miracle in the Oratorio) tied with the
Hungarian colors, on his entrance into St. James's Hall on April
6th, 1886.

As a memento of that occasion it has been chosen as frontispiece
to the Second Volume.

Constance Bache

London, December 1893



TABLE OF LETTER CONTENTS (LETTER NUMBER, FOLLOWED BY ADDRESSEE):



1.   Carl Czerny in Vienna. December 23rd, 1828
2.   De Mancy in Paris. December 23rd, 1829
3.   Carl Czerny. August 26th, 1830
4.   Alphonse Brot in Paris. Beginning of the 30th year
5.   Pierre Wolff in Geneva. May 2nd, 1832
6.   Ferdinand Hiller. June 20th, 1833
7.   Abbe de Lamennais, La Chenaie. January 14th, 1835
8.   Liszt's Mother 183-
9.   Abbe de Lamennais. May 28th, 1836
10.  Lydie Pavy in Lyons. August 22nd, 1836
11.  Abbe de Lamennais. December 18th, 1837
12.  Breitkopf and Hartel in Leipzig. April 5th, 1838
13.  Robert Schumann in Leipzig. May, 1838
14.  The Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. June 1st, 1815
15.  Simon Lowy in Vienna. September 22nd, 1838
16.  Pacini in Paris. September 30th, 1838
17.  Breitkopf and Hartel. January 3rd, 1839
18.  Princess Christine Belgiojoso in Paris. June 4th, 1839
19.  Robert Schumann. June 5th, 1820
20.  Breitkopf and Hartel. June, 1839
21.  The Beethoven Committee at Bonn. October 3rd, 1839
22.  Count Leo Festetics in Pest. November 24th, 1839
23.  Clara Wieck. December 25th, 1839
24.  Robert Schumann. March 27th, 1841
25.  Franz von Schober in Vienna. April 3rd, 1840
26.  Maurice Schlesinger in Paris. May 14th, 1840
27.  Franz von Schober. May or June, 1840
28.  the same. August 29th, 1840
29.  Buloz in Paris. October 26th, 1840
30.  Franz von Schober. December 5th, 1840
31.  Breitkopf and Hartel. May 7th, 1841
32.  Simon Lowy. May 20th, 1841
33.  Franz von Schober. March 3rd, 1842
34.  The Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Konigsberg.
March 18th, 1842
35.  Freiherr von Spiegel in Weimar. September 12th, 1842
36.  Carl Filitsch2 or 1843
37.  Franz von Schober. March 4th, 1844
38.  Franz Kroll. June 11th, 1844
39.  Freund. June 11th, 1844
40.  Franz von Schober. March 3rd, 1845
41.  Franz Kroll in Glogau. March 26th, 1845
42.  Abbe de Lamennais. April 28th, 1845
43.  Frederic Chopin. May 21st, 1845
44.  George Sand. May 21st, 1845
45.  Abbe de Lamennais. June 1st, 1845
46.  Gaetano Belloni in Paris. July 23rd, 1845
47.  Mme. Rondonneau in Sedan. February 11th, 1846
48.  Grillparzer 1846 (?)
49.  Franz von Schober in Weimar. April 11th, 1846
50.  the same. May 28th, 1846
51.  Alexander Seroff. September 14th, 1847
52.  Carl Haslinger in Vienna. December 19th, 1847
53.  Baron von Dornis in Jena. March 6th, 1848
54.  Franz von Schober. April 22nd, 1848
55.  Bernhard Cossmann in Baden-Baden. September 18th, 1848
56.  Carl Reinecke. March 25th, 1849
57.  Count Sandor Teleky(?) May 5th, 1849
58.  Belloni(?). May 14th, 1849
59.  Carl Reinecke. May 30th, 1849
60.  Robert Schumann. June 5th, 1849
61.  the same. July 27th, 1849
62.  the same. August 1st, 1849
63.  Carl Reinecke. September 7th, 1849
64.  Breitkopf and Hartel. January 14th, 1850
65.  the same. February 24th, 1850
66.  J. C. Lobe in Leipzig. July 10th, 1850
67.  Friedrich Wieck in Dresden. August 4th, 1850
68.  Simon Lowy. August 5th, 1850
69.  Mathilde Graumann. October 11th, 1850
70.  Carl Reinecke. January 1st, 1851
71.  Leon Escudier in Paris. February 4th, 1851
72.  Carl Reinecke. March 19th, 1851
73.  Dr. Eduard Liszt in Vienna1
74.  Count Casimir Esterhazy. June 6th, 1851
75.  Theodor Uhlig in Dresden. June 25th, 1851
76.  Rosalie Spohr in Brunswick. July 3rd, 1851
77.  the same. July 22nd, 1851
78.  Breitkopf and Hartel. December 1st, 1851
79.  Louis Kohler in Konigsberg. April 16th, 1852
80.  Carl Reinecke. April 16th, 1852
81.  Carl Czerny. April 19th, 1852
82.  Gustav Schmidt in Frankfort-on-the-Maine. May 18th, 1852
83.  Robert Schumann. June 8th, 1852 84.the same. June 26th, 1852
85.  Peter Cornelius. September 4th, 1852
86.  Clara Schumann. September 11th, 1852
87.  Carl Czerny. September or October, 1852
88.  Breitkopf and Hartel. October 30th, 1852
89.  the same. November 10th, 1852
90.  Julius Stern in Berlin. November 24th, 1852
91.  Wilhelm von Lenz in St. Petersburg. December 2nd, 1852
92.  Robert Radecke in Leipzig. December 9th, 1852
93.  Bernhard Cossmann. December, 1852
94.  Wilhelm Fischer in Dresden. January 13th, 1853
95.  Edmund Singer. January 15th, 1853
96.  To Frau Dr. Lidy Steche in Leipzig. February 14th, 1853
97.  Gustav Schmidt. February 27th, 1853
98.  Heinrich Brockhaus in Leipzig. March 22nd, 1853
99.  Dr. Franz Brendel in Leipzig. April 3rd, 1853
100. the same. April 30th, 1853
101. Louis Kohler. May 6th, 1853
102. the same. May 24th, 1853
103. the same. August 1st, 1853
104. Richard Pohl in Dresden. November 5th, 1853
105. Wilhelm Fischer. January 4th, 1854
106. Escudier in Paris. January 21st, 1854
107. the same. January 28th, 1854
108. Dr. Franz Brendel. February 20th, 1854
109. Louis Kohler. March 2nd, 1854
110. Dr. Franz Brendel. March 18th, 1854
111. Louis Kohler. April or May, 1854
112. Dr. Franz Brendel. April 26th, 1854
113. Louis Kohler. June 8th, 1854
114. Dr. Franz Brendel. June 12th, 1854
115. Carl Klindworth in London. July 2nd, 1854
116. Dr. Franz Brendel. July 7th, 1854
117. Anton Rubinstein. July 31st, 1854
118. Dr. Franz Brendel. August 12th, 1854
119. Anton Rubinstein. August, 1854
120. Alexander Ritter in Dresden. September 6th, 1854
121. Bernhard Cossmann. September 8th, 1854
122. Gaetano Belloni. September 9th, 1854
123. Dr. Eduard Liszt October 10th, 1854
124. Anton Rubinstein. October 19th, 1854
125. Dr. Franz Brendel. Beginning of November, 1854
126. Anton Rubinstein. November 19th, 1854	 215
127. Dr. Franz Brendel. December 1st, 1854
128. J. W. von Wasielecvski in Bonn. December 14th, 1854
129. William Mason in New York. December 14th, 1854
130. Rosalie Spohr. January 4th, 1855
131. To Alfred Dorffel in Leipzig. January 17th, 1855
132. Anton Rubinstein. February 1st, 1855
133. Louis Kohler. March 16th, 1855
134. Dr. Franz Brendel. March 18th, 1855
135. the same. April 1st, 1855
136. Anton Rubinstein. April 3rd, 1855
137. Freiherr Beaulieu-Marconnay. May 21st, 1855
138. Anton Rubinstein. June 3rd, 1855
139. Dr. Franz Brendel. June, 1855
140. the same. June 16th, 1855
141. Edmund Singer. August 1st, 1855
142. Bernhard Cossmann. August 15th, 1855
143. August Kiel in Detmold. September 8th, 1855
144. Moritz Hauptmann. September 28th, 1855
145. Dr. Eduard Liszt December 3rd, 1855
146. Frau Meyerbeer in Berlin. December 14th, 1855
147. Dr. Ritter von Seiler in Vienna. December 26th, 1855
148. Dr. Eduard Liszt February 9th, 1856
149. Dr. von Seiler. February loth, 1856
150. Dr. Franz Brendel. February 19th, 1856
151. Dionys Pruckner in Vienna. March 17th, 1856
152. Breitkopf and Hartel. May 15th, 1856
153. Louis Kohler. May 24th, 1856
154. the same. July 9th, 1856
155. Hoffmann von Fallersleben. July 14th, 1856
156. Wilhelm Wieprecht. July 18th, 1856
157. Edmund Singer. July 28th, 1856
158. Joachim Raff. July 31st, 1856
159. Anton Rubinstein. August 6th, 1856
160. Joachim Raff. August 7th, 1856
161. Anton Rubinstein. August 21st, 1856
162. Dr. Eduard Liszt September 5th, 1856
163. Louis Kohler. October 8th, 1856
164. Dr. Gille in Jena. November 14th, 1856
165. Dr. Adolf Stern in Dresden. November 14th, 18293
166. Louis Kohler. November 21st, 1856
167. Dr. Eduard Liszt November 24th, 1856
168. Alexander Ritter in Stettin. December 4th, 1856
169. L. A. Zellner in Vienna. January 2nd, 1857  299
170. Von Turanyi in Aix-la-Chapelle. January 3rd, 1830
171. J. W. von Wasielewski. January 9th, 1857
172. Alexis von Lwoff in St. Petersburg. January 10th, 1857
173. Johann von Herbeck in Vienna. January 12th, 1857
174. Franz Gotze in Leipzig. February 1st, 1857
175. Dionys Pruckner. February 11th, 1857
176. Joachim Raff. February, 1857
177. Ferdinand David. February 26th, 1857
178. Wladimir Stassoff in St. Petersburg. March 17th, 1857
179. Wilhelm von Lenz in St. Petersburg. March 24th, 1857
180. Dr. Eduard Liszt March 26th, 1857
181. Georg Schariezer in Pressburg. April 25th, 1857
182. Dr. Eduard Liszt April 27th, 1857
183. Frau von Kaulbach. May 1st, 1857
184. Fedor von Milde in Weimar. June 3rd, 1857
185. Johann von Herbeck. June 12th, 1857
186. Countess Rosalie Sauerma. June 22nd, 1857
187. Ludmilla Schestakoff in St. Petersburg. October 7th, 1857
188. Carl Haslinger. December 5th, 1857
189. Stein in Sondershausen. December 6th, 1857
190. Alexander Ritter. December 7th, 1857
191. Max Seifriz in Lowenberg. December 24th, 1857
192. Alexander Seroff. January 8th, 1858
193. Basil von Engelhardt. January 8th, 1858
194. Felix Draseke. January Loth, 1858
195. Louis Kohler. February 1st, 1858
196. L.A. Zellner. February 8th, 1858
197. Peter Cornelius. February 19th, 1858
198. Dionys Pruckner. March 9th, 1858
199. Dr. Eduard Liszt March Loth, 1858
200. Fran Dr. Steche. March 20th, 1858
201. L. A. Zellner. April 6th, 1858
202. Dr. Eduard Liszt April 7th, 1858
203. Adolf Reubke in Hausneinsdorf. June 10th, 1858
204. Prince Constantin von Hohenzollern-Hechingen. August 18th,
1858
205. Frau Rosa von Milde. August 25th, 1858
206. Dr. Franz Brendel. November 2nd, 1858
207. Johann von Herbeck. November 22nd, 1858
208. Felix Draseke. January 12th, 1859
209. Heinrich Porges. March loth, 18379
210. Max Seifriz. March 22nd, 1859
211. Dr. Eduard Liszt April 5th, 1859
212. Music-Director N. N. April 17th, 1859
213. Peter Cornelius. May 23rd, 1859
214. Dr. Franz Brendel. May 23rd, 1859
215. Felix Draseke. July 19th, 1859
216. Peter Cornelius. August 23rd, 1859
217. Dr. Franz Brendel. September 2nd, 1859
218. Louis Kohler. September 3rd, 1859
219. Dr. Franz Brendel. September 8th, 1859
220. Johann von Herbeck. October 11th, 1859
221. Felix Draseke. October 20th, 1859
222. Heinrich Porges. October 30th, 1859
223. Ingeborg Stark. November 2nd, 1859
224. Johann von Herbeck. November 18th, 1859
225. Dr. Franz Brendel. December 1st, 1859
226. Anton Rubinstein. December 3rd, 1859
227. Dr. Franz Brendel. December 6th, 1859
228. Dr. Eduard Liszt December 28th, 1859
229. Josef Dessauer. December 30th, 1859
230. Wilkoszewski in Munich. January 15th, 1860
231. Johann von Herbeck. January 26th, 1860
232. Dr. Franz Brendel. January 25th, 1860
233. Friedrich Hebbel. February 5th, 1860
234. Dr. Franz Brendel. February, 1860
235. the same March or April, 1860
236. Louis Kohler. July 5th, 1860
237. Dr. Eduard Liszt July 9th, 1860
238. Ingeborg Stark. Summer, 1860
239. Dr. Franz Brendel. August 9th, 1860
240. Princess C. Sayn-Wittgenstein. September 14th, 1860
241. Dr. Franz Brendel. September 20th, 1860
242. Dr. Eduard Liszt September 20th, 1860
243. Hoffmann von Fallersleben. October 3oth, 1860
244. Franz Gotze. November 4th, 1860
245. Dr. Franz Brendel. November 16th, 1860
246. the same. December 2nd, 1860
247. C.F. Kahnt in Leipzig. December 2nd, 1860
248. the same. December 19th, 1860
249. Dr. Franz Brendel. December 19th, 1860
250. Felix Draseke. December 3oth, 1860
251. Dr. Franz Brendel. Beginning of January, 1861
252. the same. January 20th, 1861
253. the same. March 4th, 1861
254. Peter Cornelius. April 18th, 1861.
255. Hoffmann von Fallersleben. April 18th, 1861
256. Peter Cornelius. July 12th, 1861
256A. the same. July 14th, 1861
257. Alfred Dorffel. July 18th, 1861
258. Edmund Singer in Stuttgart. August 17th, 1861
259. C.F. Kahnt. August 27th, 1861
260. Dr. Franz Brendel. September 16th, 1861



THE LETTERS OF FRANZ LISZT, VOL. 1



1. To Carl Czerny in Vienna.

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.--
The addressee was Liszt's former teacher, the celebrated Viennese
teacher of music and composer of innumerable instructive works
(1791-1857).]

My very dear Master,

When I think of all the immense obligations under which I am
placed towards you, and at the same time consider how long I have
left you without a sign of remembrance, I am perfectly ashamed
and miserable, and in despair of ever being forgiven by you!
"Yes," I said to myself with a deep feeling of bitterness, "I am
an ungrateful fellow; I have forgotten my benefactor, I have
forgotten that good master to whom I owe both my talent and my
success."...At these words a tear starts to my eyes, and I assure
you that no repentant tear was ever more sincere! Receive it as
an expiation, and pardon me, for I cannot any longer bear the
idea that you have any ill-feeling towards me. You will pardon
me, my dear Master, won't you? Embrace me then...good! Now my
heart is light.

You have doubtless heard that I have been playing your admirable
works here with the greatest success, and all the glory ought to
be given to you. I intended to have played your variations on the
"Pirate" the day after tomorrow at a very brilliant concert that
I was to have given at the theater of H.R.H. Madame, who was to
have been present as well as the Duchess of Orleans; but man
proposes and God disposes. I have suddenly caught the measles,
and have been obliged to say farewell to the concert; but it is
not given up because it is put off, and I hope, as soon as ever I
am well again, to have the pleasure of making these beautiful
variations known to a large public.

Pixis [a notable pianist (1788-1874)--lived a long time in Paris]
and several other people have spoken much to me of four concertos
that you have lately finished, and the reputation of which is
already making a stir in Paris. I should be very much pleased, my
dear Master, if you would commission me to get them sold. This
would be quite easy for me to do, and I should also have the
pleasure of playing them FROM FIRST HAND, either at the opera or
at some big concerts. If my proposition pleases you, send them to
me by the Austrian Embassy, marking the price that you would like
to have for them. As regards any passages to be altered, if there
are any, you need only mark them with a red pencil, according to
your plan which I know so well, and I will point them out to the
editor with the utmost care. Give me at the same time some news
about music and pianists in Vienna; and finally tell me, dear
Master, which of your compositions you think would make the best
effect in society.

I close by sending you my heartfelt greetings, and begging you
once more to pardon the shameful silence I have kept towards you:
be assured that it has given me as much pain as yourself!

Your very affectionate and grateful pupil,

F. Liszt

December 23rd, 1828

P.S.--Please answer me as soon as possible, for I am longing for
a letter from you; and please embrace your excellent parents from
me. I add my address (Rue Montholon, No. 7bis).



2. To De Mancy in Paris

[Autograph in the possession of M. Etienne Charavay in Paris.]

December 23rd, 1829

My Dear M. de Mancy,

I am so full of lessons that each day, from half-past eight in
the morning till 10 at night, I have scarcely breathing time.
Please excuse me therefore for not coming, as I should have liked
to do, to lunch with Madame de Mancy, but it is quite impossible.
The only thing I could do would be to come about 10 o'clock, if
that would not be too late for a wedding day, and in that case I
will beg M. Ebner [Carl Ebner, a Hungarian, a talented violinist
(1812-1836)] to come with me. I don't write you a longer letter,
for there is a pupil who has been waiting for me for an hour.
Besides, we are not standing on ceremony. Ever yours,

F. Liszt



3. To Carl Czerny

[Autograph in the Musical Society's Archives in Vienna. Printed
in a German translation: "La Mara, Letters of Musicians extending
over Five Centuries." II. Leipzig, B. and H. 1887.]

My dear and beloved Master,

It would be impossible to explain to you the why and wherefore of
my leaving you so long without news of me. Moreover, I have now
only five minutes in which to write to you, for Mr. Luden, a
pianist from Copenhagen, is starting shortly, and for fear of
delaying his journey I must be brief; but what is postponed is
not lost, so cheer up, for very soon you will get a great thick
letter from me, which I will take care to prepay, as I should not
like to ruin you.

Among all the circles of artists where I go in this country I
plead your cause tremendously: we all want you to come and stay
some time in Paris; it would certainly do you a great deal of
good, and you are so widely esteemed that you will doubtless be
well satisfied with the reception you will meet with here. If you
ever entertain this idea, write to me, I entreat you, for I will
do for you what I would do for my father. I have been making a
special study of your admirable sonata (Op. 7), and have since
played it at several reunions of connoisseurs (or would-be
connoisseurs): you cannot imagine what an effect it made; I was
quite overcome by it. It was in a burst of enthusiasm caused by
the Prestissimo, that Mr. Luden begged for a few words of
introduction to you; I know your kindness, indeed I could never
forget it. I therefore commend him in all confidence of your
goodness, until the time when I am so happy as to embrace you
myself and to show you (however feebly) all the gratitude and
admiration which fill me.

F. Liszt

Paris, August 26th, 1830



4. To Alphonse Brot in Paris

[Autograph in the possession of M. Etienne Charavay in Paris.]

(Paris, Beginning of the 30th year.)

It would give us great pleasure, my dear M. Brot, if you would
come and dine with us without ceremony tomorrow, Monday, about 6
o'clock; I do not promise you a good dinner,--that is not the
business of us poor artists; but the good company you will meet
will, I trust, make up for that. Monsieur Hugo [the poet] and
Edgard Quinet [French writer and philosopher] have promised to
come. So do try not to disappoint us, for we should miss you
much. My good mother told me to press you to come, for she is
very fond of you. Till tomorrow then! Kind regards and thanks.

F. Liszt

I have been at least six times to you without having the pleasure
of seeing you.

61, Rue de Provence.



5. Monsieur Pierre Wolff (Junior), Rue de la Tertasse, Geneva,
Switzerland

[Autograph in the possession of M. Gaston Calmann-Levy in Paris.]

Nous disons: "Il est temps. Executons, c'est l'heure." Alors nous
retournons les yeux--La Mort est la! Ainsi de mes projets.--Quand
vous verrai-je, Espagne, Et Venise et son golfe, et Rome et sa
campagne,

Toi, Sicile, que ronge un volcan souterrain, Grece qu'on connait
trop, Sardaigne qu'on ignore, Cites de l'Aquilon, du Couchant, de
l'Aurore, Pyramides du Nil, Cathedrales du Rhin! Qui sait?--
jamais peut-etre!

[We say: "Now it is time. Let's act, for 'tis the hour." Then
turn we but our eyes--lo! death is there! Thus with my plans.
When shall I see thee, Espagna, And Venice with her gulf, and
Rome with her Campagna; Thou, Sicily, whom volcanoes undermine;
Greece, whom we know too well, Sardinia, unknown one, Lands of
the north, the west, the rising sun, Pyramids of the Nile,
Cathedrals of the Rhine! Who knows? Never perchance!]

Earthly life is but a malady of the soul, an excitement which is
kept up by the passions. The natural state of the soul is rest!

Paris, May 2nd [1832]

Here is a whole fortnight that my mind and fingers have been
working like two lost spirits, Homer, the Bible, Plato, Locke,
Byron, Hugo, Lamartine, Chateaubriand, Beethoven, Bach, Hummel,
Mozart, Weber, are all around me. I study them, meditate on them,
devour them with fury; besides this I practice four to five hours
of exercises (3rds, 6ths, 8ths, tremolos, repetition of notes,
cadences, etc., etc.). Ah! provided I don't go mad, you will find
an artist in me! Yes, an artist such as you desire, such as is
required nowadays!

"And I too am a painter!" cried Michael Angelo the first time he
beheld a chef d'oeuvre...Though insignificant and poor, your
friend cannot leave off repeating those words of the great man
ever since Paganini's last performance. Rene, what a man, what a
violin, what an artist! Heavens! what sufferings, what misery,
what tortures in those four strings!

Here are a few of his characteristics:--

[Figure: Liszt here writes down several tiny excerpts from
musical scores of Paganini's violin music, such as his famous
"Caprices"]

As to his expression, his manner of phrasing, his very soul in
fact!----

May 8th [1832]

My good friend, it was in a paroxysm of madness that I wrote you
the above lines; a strain of work, wakefulness, and those violent
desires (for which you know me) had set my poor head aflame; I
went from right to left, then from left to right (like a sentinel
in the winter, freezing), singing, declaiming, gesticulating,
crying out; in a word, I was delirious. Today the spiritual and
the animal (to use the witty language of M. de Maistre) are a
little more evenly balanced; for the volcano of the heart is not
extinguished, but is working silently.--Until when?--

Address your letters to Monsieur Reidet, the receiver-general at
the port of Rouen.

A thousand kind messages to the ladies Boissier. I will tell you
some day the reasons which prevented me from starting for Geneva.
On this subject I shall call you in evidence.

Bertini is in London; Madame Malibran is making her round of
Germany; Messemaecker (how is he getting on?) is resting on his
laurels at Brussels; Aguado has the illustrious maestro Rossini
in tow.--Ah--Hi--Oh--Hu!!!



6. To Ferdinand Hiller

[This letter, published by F. Niecks ("F. Chopin, Man and
Musician," Vol. 1. German by Langhans. Leipzig, Leuckart, 1890),
was written by Liszt and Chopin jointly, and was also signed by
Chopin's friend Franchomme, the violoncellist. The part written
by Chopin is indicated here by parentheses ().--Addressed to the
well-known composer and author, afterwards Director of the
Conservatorium and Concert Society at Cologne (1811-1885).]

This is the twentieth time, at least, that we have tried to meet,
first at my house, then here, with the intention of writing to
you, and always some visit, or some other unforeseen hindrance,
has occurred. I don't know whether Chopin will be strong enough
to make excuses to you; for my part, it seems to me that we have
been so unmannerly and impertinent that no excuses are now
permissible or possible.

We sympathized most deeply in your bereavement, and more deeply
did we wish that we could be with you in order to soften, as far
as possible, the grief of your heart. [Hiller had lost his
father.]

(He has said it all so well that I have nothing to add to excuse
me specially for my negligence or idleness, or whim or
distraction, or--or--or--You know that I can explain myself
better in person, and, this autumn, when I take you home late by
the boulevards to your mother, I shall try to obtain your pardon.
I am writing to you without knowing what my pen is scribbling, as
Liszt is at this moment playing my Studies, and transporting me
away from all suitable ideas. I wish I could steal his manner of
rendering my own works. With regard to your friends who are
staying in Paris, I have often seen, during this winter and
spring, the Leo family [August Leo, banker in Paris], and all
that follows. There have been evenings at certain ambassadresses'
houses, and there was not a single one at which somebody living
at Frankfort was not mentioned. Madame Eichthal sends you many
kind messages--Plater [Count Plater, Chopin's countryman, and a
friend also of Liszt], the whole family were very sorry for your
departure, and begged me to give you their condolences.) Madame
d'Apponyi [Apponyi, the Austrian ambassador in Paris] was very
much vexed with me for not having taken you there before your
departure; she hopes that when you come back you will be sure to
remember the promise you made me. I will say as much of a certain
lady who is not an ambassadress.

Do you know Chopin's wonderful Studies?--(They are admirable! and
moreover they will last only until yours appear) = an author's
little piece of modesty!!! (A little piece of rudeness on the
part of the regent, for--to explain the matter fully--he is
correcting my spelling) according to the method of Monsieur
Marlet.

You will come back in the month of (September, isn't it? tr)y
[Tach]ez] to let us know the day; we have determined to give you
a serenade or charivari [mock serenade]. The company of the most
distinguished artists of the capital = M. Franchomme (present),
Madame Petzold, and the Abbe Bardin [passionate lover of music,
who had a great many artists to see him], the leaders of the Rue
d'Amboise (and my neighbors), Maurice Schlesinger [music
publisher], uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, brothers-in-law,
sisters-in-law, and--and ("en plan du troisienae," etc.). ["in
the third row--i.e. less important people]. The responsible
editors,

F. Liszt

(F. Chopin)	(Aug. Franchomme.)

(By-the-bye, I met Heine yesterday, who begged me to grussen you
herzlich and herzlich.) [to send you his warmest and most
heartfelt greetings]

(By-the-bye, also, please excuse all the "you's" [Instead of the
more familiar "thee" and "thou."]--I do beg you to excuse them.
If you have a moment to spare, give us news of yourself, which
would be most welcome. Paris, Rue de la Chaussee d'Antin, No. 5.
At present I am occupying Franck's lodging [Dr. Hermann Franck,
author, friend of Chopin and of many other celebrities; editor
also for a short time, in the forties, of Brockhaus's "Deutsche
Allgemeine Zeitung"]--he is gone to London and Berlin. I am most
happy in the rooms which were so often our meeting-place. Berlioz
sends greetings.

As to pere Baillot, he is in Switzerland, at Geneva. So now you
can guess that I can't send you the Bach concerto.

June 20th, 1833)



7. To Abbe F. de Lamennais

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.--
Addressed to the celebrated French author (1782-1854), who
followed his brilliant apology of Catholicism, "Essai sur
l'Indifference en Matiere de Religion" (Essay on Indifference in
Matters of Religion, 1817-1823), by the "Paroles d'un Croyant"
(Words of a Believer, 1834), a veritable "Ode to revolution in
the sublimest biblical style," and sought to bring religious and
political liberty into accord with true religiousness. The latter
work made an unheard-of sensation, but brought upon him the
anathema of the Church. He obtained a great influence over Liszt,
who was on intimate terms with him.]

Four months have actually passed, dear Father, since we parted,
and I feel very sad at not getting a word from you!--at the same
time I do not wish to complain, for it seems to me that you can
never doubt my deep and filial affection...Much more, I even know
that you have been willing to accept it, and, however humble it
may be, to count it for something...What more then can I
desire?...

Eugene, whose brotherly friendship becomes dearer to me day by
day, has often given me good tidings of you. The last time I saw
him he told me confidentially that you were working at a sort of
Introduction, or developed Preface to your works.--Although I
know perfectly well that my interest counts for nothing in this
matter, I may be permitted nevertheless to tell you how glad I am
to know that you are occupied with this work. To yourself, first
of all, I think you owe it--your name and glory will shine out
all the more powerfully for it. And, secondly, for the public it
will be a work of art the more (and this commodity becomes rather
rare as time goes on), and which will besides have the double
advantage of aiding and fixing them in the understanding of your
past works, whilst at the same time preparing them for, and
initiating them into, your future thoughts.

And, lastly, for us who love you, and who would glory and be
proud to be one day called your disciples, we rejoice in it
because the world will learn to know you better by this means,
and because it will probably be another opportunity for us to
show our sympathetic admiration as well as our unalterable
devotion for you.

Unless something very unforeseen occurs, I shall come again and
beg you to receive me for a few days towards the middle of July;
I trust sufficiently to your sincerity to tell me that you would
rather not have me if my individuality would trouble or bother
you too much.--Before that, I shall have the honor of sending you
a little work, to which I have had the audacity to tack a great
name--yours.--It is an instrumental De profundis. The plain-song
that you like so much is preserved in it with the Faburden.
Perhaps this may give you a little pleasure, at any rate, I have
done it in remembrance of some hours passed (I should say
"lived") at La Chenaie.

Farewell, dear Father. I don't give you any news of Paris,--you
know all that. You know that Ballanche wants to be an
Academician, and accepts Salvandy and Dupaty as competitors,--you
know the little check of January,--the miserable petty intrigues
of court and newspaper and vestry;--in a word, you know how men
are wanting in noble and generous sentiments, and how they make
the most of their own ignoble ends and interests, to which their
words and actions yet give the lie.

Farewell once more, dear Father. Think as often as possible of
all the good you have done, and of that which men have a right to
expect of you. Think sometimes also of the help and the wealth of
affection that you have showered on me in particular, and may the
remembrance of this be sweet to you!...

Yours ever, for life--from heart and soul,

F. Liszt

January 14th, 1835

Tomorrow morning I have to leave for two months. If you should be
so good as to write to me before my return, please address
always, 61, Rue de Provence. My mother will take care that I have
your kind letter.



8. To his Mother

[From a copy, by Mr. Vladimir Stassoff of St. Petersburg, the
original of which is in Russia. The letter in itself is
unimportant, but it is the only one to Liszt's mother which the
editor could get, and gives a fresh proof of the devotion of the
artist to his mother.]

Dear Mother,

Please send me at once, without any delay, the Pianist's
Glossary, which you will get at Lemonier's, Rue de l'Echelle.

Simply put it in a cover, and put it in the post (General
Office), and I shall get it, at latest, by Monday or Tuesday.--

Address to Mr. Hermann Cohen, Grande Rue, No. 8.

[Cohen was a frequently mentioned pupil and favorite of Liszt's
who was born at Hamburg in 1820, much thought of as a pianist in
Paris, and immortalised as "Puzzi" by George Sand ("Lettres d'un
Voyageur"); he followed Liszt to Geneva, and gave lessons there.
In 1850 he entered the order of Carmelites, and, under the name
of Pater Augustin, died in Berlin in January 1871, whither he had
gone with French prisoners.]

I have an immense deal to do this morning, so that I have barely
time to tell you that I love you with all my heart, and that I
rejoice above everything at the prospect of seeing you again
soon--that is to say, in six or eight months.

F. Liszt

You will hear of me from Mr. Pinondel, who passed a day with us.



9. To the Abbe F. de Lamennais, La Chenaie

[Autograph in the possession of Mr. Marshall in London.]

[Paris, May 28th, 1836--according to the stamp of the post
office]

Dear and venerable Father,

I shall expect you. Whatever sorrow there is in the depth of my
soul, it will be sweet and consoling to me to see you again.

You are so wonderfully good to me! and I should suffer so much by
being so long away from you!--

Au revoir then, once more--in eight days at latest it will be,
will it not? I do nothing else than keep expecting you.

Yours, with the deepest respect and most sincere devotion,

F. Liszt



10. To Mademoiselle Lydie Pavy, of La Glaciere, Lyons

[Autograph in the possession of M. Etienne Charavay in Paris.]

St. Gervais, August 22nd [1836].

Your postscript deserves a punishment, and here it comes dated
from St. Gervais. I do not know whether your charming sister-in-
law, Madame Pavy, will consider this stamp of St. Gervais worthy
to appear in her collection; be that as it may, it gives me no
less a pleasure to converse a little with you who are always so
charming, so versatile, so excellent, and, permit me to say, so
kind to me.

Mademoiselle Merienne, whom I saw only quite lately (for you must
know that during the whole month of July, of glorious memory, I
have barely condescended to go down once or twice to Geneva; I
was living in a little bit of a house on the mountain, whence,
let me say parenthetically, it would have been quite easy for me
to hurl sermons and letters at you); Mademoiselle Merienne (what
shall I say to you after such an enormous parenthesis?), somewhat
like (by way of a new parenthesis) those declaimed discourses of
Plantade or Lhuillier, which put a stop to music whilst
nevertheless admitting that there is such a thing, whether at the
beginning or at the end--Mademoiselle Merienne--au diable
Mademoiselle Merienne! You guess by this time that she gave me
tidings of you, that she is a delightful and enchanting person,
that she makes admirable portraits, and that mine, amongst
others, has been a wonderful success. Etc., etc., and always
etc...

And yet I do wish to talk to you about this good Mademoiselle
Merienne, for she said a heap of charming things to me for your
sake, which will certainly not astonish you. But how to set about
it after all this preamble of parentheses? Ah, I have it!--In
three or four weeks I shall come and knock at your door.--And
then? Well, then we will chatter away at our ease. So much the
worse for you if you are not satisfied with my cunning stratagem.
Now let us talk business; yes, seriously, let us talk business!

Has your brother returned from his journey? And is he well? And
has no accident happened to him on the way? You are surprised,
perhaps, at my anxiety; but by-and-bye you will understand it
without difficulty, when I have explained to you how terribly
interested I am in the fact of his journey being safely
accomplished.

Just imagine that at this moment I have only 200 fr. in my purse
(a ridiculously small sum for a traveler), and that it is M. Pavy
who is to be my financial Providence, considering that it is to
him that my mother has confided my little quarterly income of a
thousand francs. Now at this point I must entrust you with a
little secret, which at present is only known to two individuals,
Messrs. Paccard and Roger (charming names for confidants, are not
they?), and which I beg you to make known as quickly as possible
to your brother. It concerns a little scrap of paper (which these
rogues of bankers call a draft, I believe), for a thousand
francs, by which Messrs. Paccard and Roger are authorized by my
signature, which is at the bottom, to demand the above sum of a
thousand francs (which my mother entrusted to M. Pavy in Paris)
from M. Pavy, junior, living at La Glaciere at Lyons, after the
22nd of August, 1836.

A thousand pardons for troubling you with these details, but I
should never have had the courage to write direct to your
brother, on account of my profound ignorance in money matters.

You tell me that you passed part of the fine season in the
country--why did not you arrange so as to tour for a little among
the mountains of Switzerland? I should have had such pleasure in
doing the honors, and Mademoiselle Merienne also...but don't let
us speak any more of Mademoiselle Merienne (who, be it observed
in parenthesis, must have already appeared a dozen times in this
letter), for fear of again falling into inextricable parentheses.

Au revoir then; in five weeks at latest I shall come and warm
myself at your "glacier."

F. Liszt



11. To Abbe de Lamennais

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.]

My friend Louis de Ronchaud writes me word that he has had the
honor of seeing you, dear Father, and that you were kind enough
to give him a message of affectionate remembrance for me. I am
very happy to know that you continue to keep this precious and
friendly feeling for me, of which you have already given me so
many proofs, and which I shall endeavour always to deserve as far
as is in my power.

I am still not very far advanced in my Italian journey. The
beauty of these parts, the necessity of writing with some little
continuance, and also, if all be said, some altogether unexpected
successes, have kept me in Milan and the neighborhood (Como and
the delicious shores of the lake) much longer than I had
foreseen. As regards musical matters, the presence of Rossini,
whom I frequently see, gives a certain impetus to this country. I
have been singularly well received here, so I shall probably pass
the greater part of the winter here, and shall not start for
Venice till towards the beginning of March. Thence I shall go to
Florence and Rome, where I expect I shall stay a good long time.

D. has no doubt talked to you of our stay at Nohant last summer.
I think that he got rid there of a good many old prejudices about
me. It was a sweet satisfaction to me to learn through him how
good and indulgent you have been towards me on several occasions,
even so far as to contradict and defend me warmly against him and
against others who knew me still less. I had charged our secret
friend to defend me in his turn from a slight wrong which I had,
only apparently, committed, but even "apparently" is too much,
and I think I have entirely justified myself with regard to it. I
don't know whether in his noble carelessness he will have thought
of it. However that may be, I shall always count on your paternal
affection more than all the rest.

What can I say to you of Italy that you do not know, and that you
have not said in such manner as to cause despair for ever to the
makers of observations!--It is always the same status quo, the
excellent and perfectly happy government that you know.--I am
hoping and longing ardently for your next book [probably "Le
Livre du Peuple": Paris, 1837], which I shall read with my whole
heart and soul, as I have read all that you have written for four
years. I shall owe you just so many more good and noble emotions.
Will they remain for ever sterile? Will my life be for ever
tainted with this idle uselessness which weighs upon me? Will the
hour of devotion and of manly action never come? Am I condemned
without respite to this trade of a Merry Andrew and to amuse in
drawing-rooms?

Whatever may be my poor and humble destiny, do not ever doubt my
heart. Do not ever doubt the deep respect and unalterable
devotion with which you have inspired me.

Yours for ever,

F. Liszt

Como, December 18th, 1837



12. To Breitkopf and Hartel in Leipzig

[Autograph in the possession of Herr Hermann Scholtz,
Kammervirtuoso in Dresden.]

I thank you much, gentlemen, for the obliging letter that you
have written me. Up to the present time I have had none but the
most pleasant business relations with Mr. Hofmeister, who has the
kindness to publish the greater part of my works in Germany. As I
do not know very much of the laws which regulate literary and
musical proprietorship in Saxony, I had spoken to him about the
Beethoven Symphonies, of which I have undertaken the arrangement,
or, more correctly speaking, the pianoforte score. To tell the
truth, this work has, nevertheless, cost me some trouble; whether
I am right or wrong, I think it sufficiently different from, not
to say superior to, those of the same kind which have hitherto
appeared. The recent publication of the same Symphonies, arranged
by Mr. Kalkbrenner, makes me anxious that mine should not remain
any longer in a portfolio. I intend also to finger them
carefully, which, in addition to the indication of the different
instruments (which is important in this kind of work), will most
certainly make this edition much more complete. If, then, as I
imagine, it is impossible for Mr. Hofmeister to publish them, I
shall be very grateful if you will undertake it. The reputation
of your house is European, and I perfectly remember having had
the pleasure of seeing Mr. Raymond Hartel in Paris. It will be a
pleasure to me to conclude this little business with you, at the
rate of eight francs a page. Up to the present time I have only
finished three Symphonies (that in A major), but I could promise
to let you have the others successively, according as you might
wish, or I could limit my work to the four most important
Symphonies (if I may express my opinion), namely, the Pastoral, C
minor, A major, and the Eroica. I think those are the ones which
are most effective on the piano.

I start tomorrow for Vienna, where I expect to remain till the
end of April. Please address to me to the care of Mr. Tobias
Haslinger till the 25th of April, and after that to Mr. Ricordi,
Milan, who has undertaken to forward me all my letters while I am
in Italy. My compliments and affectionate thanks.

F. Liszt



13. To Robert Schumann

[Addressed to the celebrated German Tone-poet (1810-1856). Liszt
had spoken of Schumann's Op. 5, 11, and 14 in the Gazette
Musicale, 1837, with equal enthusiasm and understanding, which
soon brought the two together.]

[Without a date; received by R. S. May 5th, 1838.]

My dear Monsieur Schumann,

I shall not attempt to tell you how grateful and touched I am by
your friendly letter. Mademoiselle Wieck, whom I have been so
happy as to meet here, will express to you, better than I can,
all the sympathy, all the admiring affection I have for you. I
have been such a nomad latterly that the pieces you were kind
enough to address to me at Milan only reached me on the eve of my
departure from Venice about a fortnight ago; and since then we
have been talking so much of you, day and night, that it hardly
occurred to me to write to you. Today, however, to my great
astonishment, I get a fresh token of your friendly remembrance,
and I certainly will not delay thanking you many times for it, so
I have just left a charming party of very pretty women in order
to write these few lines to you. But the truth is you need hardly
thank me for this little sacrifice, for it is a great pleasure to
me to be able to have a little chat with you.

The "Carneval" and the "Fantasiestucke" have interested me
excessively. I play them really with delight, and God knows that
I can't say as much of many things. To speak frankly and freely,
it is absolutely only Chopin's compositions and yours that have a
powerful interest for me.

The rest do not deserve the honor of being mentioned...at least,
with a few exceptions,--to be conciliatory, like Eusebius.

In six weeks to two months I shall send you my twelve Studies and
a half-dozen of "Fantasiestucke" ("Impressions et Poemes")--I
consider them less bad than others of my making. I shall be happy
to think that they do not displease you.

May I confess to you that I was not very much struck with
Henselt's Studies, and that I found them not up to their
reputation? I don't know whether you share my opinion, but they
appear to me, on the whole, very careless. They are pretty to
listen to, they are very pretty to look at, the effect is
excellent, the edition (thanks to our friend Hofmeister) is most
carefully done; but, all counted, I question whether H. is
anything but a distinguished mediocrity. [How highly Liszt
thought, later on, of Henselt's Concerto and other of his
compositions is well known, and is spoken of in a subsequent
letter to Baroness Wrangel, in May, 1883.] For the rest, he is
very young, and will doubtless develop. Let us, at least, hope
so.

I am extremely sorry that I cannot come and pay you a little
visit at Leipzig at present. It is one of my keenest desires to
make your personal acquaintance and to pass some days with you.
But as that is not possible now, let us, at least, try not to be
entirely separated, and let us combat, as far as we can, the
laziness about writing, which is, I think, equally in us both.

In a fortnight I am returning to Venice. I shall be back in Milan
at the time of the coronation (towards the end of August). Next
winter I expect to pass in Rome, if the cholera or some other
plague does not stop it. I will not induce you to come to Italy.
Your sympathies would be too deeply wounded there. If they have
even heard that Beethoven and Weber ever existed, it is as much
as they have done.

Will you not have what you have sent me printed? Haslinger would
have it gladly, I think, and it would be a great pleasure to me
to see my name associated with yours.

If I might make a request, I would ask you to write some trios,
or a quintet or septet. It seems to me that you would do that
admirably, and for a long time nothing remarkable in that line
has been published. If ever you determine to do so, let me know
at once, as I should be anxious to have the honor of making them
known to the public. Adieu, my dear Monsieur Schumann; keep me
always in affectionate remembrance, and accept once more my warm
sympathy and devotion.

F. Liszt



14. To the "Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde" in Vienna

[Society of Musical Dilettanti, or Amateur Musical Society.
Autograph in the Archives of the Society in Vienna]

Gentlemen,

I am extremely grateful for the honor you have done me in
admitting me among you as a member of the Vienna Musik-Verein
[Musical Union]. I cannot, unfortunately, flatter myself that I
have as yet deserved this distinction, but allow me to say that
it will not be my fault if I do not become worthy of it.

If ever the occasion should offer in which I can be agreeable or
useful to the Society of the Musik-Verein, be assured that I
shall gladly avail myself of it, and that you will henceforth
have a claim on my gratitude and devotion.

I have the honor to be, gentlemen,

Yours faithfully,

F. Liszt

Venice, June 1st, 1838



15. To Simon Lowy in Vienna

[Autograph in the possession of Herr O. A. Schulz, bookseller in
Leipzig.--Addressed to a Vienna banker, an intimate friend of
Liszt The "Soirees de Vienne," composed on Schubert Valses, are
dedicated to him.]

I am very sensible, my dear sir, of your friendly remembrance.
Your kind letter found me in the midst of the official hurly-
burly of the coronation fetes. What business on earth had I to do
with such an affair? I have not the least idea. Thank Heaven we
are now at the end of it all, safe and sound, rejoicing, and
sated with amusement!

I found at Milan a certain number of my Vienna connections. One
or two of the persons whom you will not mention to me (and whose
anonymity I respect) were also there. I know that a great many of
the people who approach me with a smile on their lips, and
protestations of friendship on their tongues, have nothing better
to do than to pull me to pieces as best they can as soon as they
are outside my door. It is, moreover, the fate of all the world.
I resign myself to it willingly, as I do to all the absurd and
odious necessities of this lower world. There is, besides, just
this much good in these sad experiences of various relations with
men--which is, that one learns to relish and appreciate better
the devotion of the few friends whom chance has thrown in your
path.

In a few days from now I shall start for Bologna, Florence, and
Rome. In spite of all my desire to return to Vienna, where people
have been so kind and indulgent to me, I do not yet see when I
shall be able to get there. However this journey may be put off,
I hope, nevertheless, my dear sir, that you will continue till
then the affectionate feelings you so kindly entertain towards
me. Receive in return my assurances of consideration and
affectionate devotion.

F. Liszt

Milan, September 22nd, 1838

Will you be so good as to give the enclosed note to the charming
woman who is good enough to remember me so kindly?



16. To M. Pacini, Music Publisher in Paris

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.]

My Dear Monsieur Pacini,

In two or three days at latest from now you will receive the
manuscript for which you asked me for the book of the Hundred and
One. [A collective work with contributions by celebrities of the
day.] Mr. Hugot has kindly undertaken to bring it to you.

As the title implies, it is an Etude (di Bravura) after Paganini.
[Bravura Studies on Paganini's Capricci, arranged for the
pianoforte, brought out by Haslinger, Vienna, in 1839. A second,
newly arranged edition, dedicated to Clara Schumann, "Grandes
Etudes de Paganini," was brought out by Breitkopf and Hartel in
1851.] You will oblige me by recommending the engraver to engrave
it very spaciously. In addition, you had better, I think, reprint
directly afterwards this Etude facilitee, which I have also sent
you. This second arrangement is by M. Schumann, a young composer
of very great merit. It is more within the reach of the general
public, and also more exact than my paraphrase.

Many apologies for having kept you waiting so long for such a
small thing, and kind remembrances to Emilien.

Yours affectionately,

F. Liszt

Please send the corrected proofs of this study to Haslinger,
musical editor to the Court, at Graben, Vienna.

I must have at least two corrected proofs. Prego! Prego!! [I
beg!] leave only such mistakes as are absolutely necessary in
order that an edition may be supposed to be correct.

Padua, September 30th, 1838



17. To Breitkopf and Hartel.

[This is the first of the Liszt letters extant in the archives of
the firm.]

I am really grieved, gentlemen, at the trouble you have been good
enough to take about these unlucky Symphonies, and I hardly know
how to express my acknowledgments. As I have already had the
honor of telling you, Mr. Mori had been previously engaged to
publish these Symphonies, and, as the steps you have taken have
not been crowned with success, I will keep to this first
publisher, with whom I have every reason to be satisfied up to
now.

You can then publish this work in two or three months from now.
[Pianoforte scores of the C minor and Pastoral Symphonies of
Beethoven.] Only it is essential that I should correct the last
proof, so that the edition may be absolutely correct. I also wish
to add the fingering to several passages, to make them easier for
amateurs. Be so good, therefore, as to send me, through the
Embassy (or by any other opportunity which is not too expensive),
two proofs to Rome, where I shall be in about twelve days, and
where I expect to remain till the middle of March.

I hope, gentlemen, that you will not have cause to regret the
obliging advances that you have made to me in this matter, and
for which I am sincerely grateful to you. If you will be so good
as to add to the proofs of the Beethoven Symphonies such of the
songs of Beethoven (or Weber) as you would like me to transcribe
for piano solo, I will then give you a positive answer as to that
little work, which I shall be delighted to do for you, but to
which I cannot assent beforehand, not knowing of which songs you
are the proprietors. If "Leyer und Schwert" was published by you,
I will do that with pleasure. I think that these songs, or at any
rate four or five of them, would be rather satisfactory for the
piano.

Accept, gentlemen, the expression of my high esteem.

F. Liszt

Florence, January 3rd, 1839



18. To Princess Christine Belgiojoso in Paris

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.--
Addressed to the celebrated writer and patriot. In 1837 a charity
concert took place in her salons, at which Liszt and Thalberg
both played.]

It would be self-conceit in me, Princess, to complain of your
silence. Your letters have always been for me a favor, a charm. I
am not meaning to say that I have the slightest right to them.
Nevertheless, as you do not reply to me any more, I hope you will
at least permit me to tell you how very much I feel the very
slightest marks of your kindness, and what a price I set upon
your remembrance.

Some numbers of the Gazette or Revue Musicale, which have
accidentally fallen into my hands at the house of one of my
Russian friends (for in this happy country of the Arts, and of
music in particular, you can well imagine that no one is foolish
enough to spend a thirty francs' subscription on the Revue
Musicale), have informed me that you had decidedly raised altar
for altar, and made your charming salon echo with magnificent
harmonies. I confess that this is perhaps the one regret of my
winter. I should so immensely have liked to be there to admire
you, to applaud you. Several people who had the honor of being
present at these choice evenings have spoken to me about them
with enthusiasm.

What a contrast to the tiresome musical soliloquies (I do not
know what other name to give to this invention of mine) with
which I contrived to gratify the Romans, and which I am quite
capable of importing to Paris, so unbounded does my impudence
become! Imagine that, wearied with warfare, not being able to
compose a programme which would have common sense, I have
ventured to give a series of concerts all by myself, affecting
the Louis XIV. style, and saying cavalierly to the public, "The
concert is--myself." For the curiosity of the thing I copy one of
the programmes of the soliloquies for you:--

1. Overture to William Tell, performed by M. L.

2. Reminiscences of the Puritani. Fantaisie composed and
performed by the above-mentioned!

3. Etudes and fragments by the same to the same!

4. Improvisation on themes given--still by the same. And that was
all; neither more nor less, except lively conversation during the
intervals, and enthusiasm if there was room for it.

A propos of enthusiasm, I ought at least to talk to you of St.
Peter's. That is the proper thing to do when one writes from
Rome. But, in the first place, I am writing to you from Albano,
whence I can only discern the dome, and, secondly, this poor St.
Peter's has been so disguised, so embellished by papier-mache
wreaths, horrid curtains at alcoves, etc., etc., all in honor of
the five or six last saints whom His Holiness has canonised, that
I try to put away the recollection of it. Happily there have not
been any workers of miracles to glorify at the Coliseum and the
Campo Vaccino, otherwise it would have been impossible to live in
Rome.

If nothing occurs to prevent it, I expect to pass the end of next
winter (March and April) in Paris. Will you permit me then to
fill up all the gaps in my correspondence from the Rue d'Anjou?
[Here the Princess lived.] I count always upon your friendly and
indulgent kindness. But shall you extend this so far as to give
me a sign of life before the close of my stay in Italy? I do not
know. In any case, letters addressed poste restante, Florence,
will reach me till the 1st of next September.

I beg you, Madame la Princesse, to accept the expression of my
profound and most devoted respect.

F. Liszt

Albano, June 4th, 1839

Will you be good enough to remember me affectionately to (Madame)
your sister and to Mr. d'Aragon?



19. To Robert Schumann

[From a copy from the Royal Library in Berlin.]

Albano, June 5th, 1839

My dear Monsieur Schumann,

At the risk of appearing very monotonous, I must again tell you
that the last pieces you were so kind as to send me to Rome
appear to me admirable both in inspiration and composition. The
"Fantaisie" dedicated to me is a work of the highest kind--and I
am really proud of the honor you have done me in dedicating to me
so grand a composition.

Op. 17, C dur. With the motto:--

"Durch alle Tone tonet
Im bunten Erdentraum
Ein leiser Ton gezogen
Fur den, der heimlich lauschet."

("Through all the sounds of nature,
In earth's fair dream of joy,
An under-current soundeth
For him whose ears can hear."]

I mean, therefore, to work at it and penetrate it through and
through, so as to make the utmost possible effect with it.

As to the "Kinderscenen," I owe to them one of the greatest
pleasures of my life. You know, or you don't know, that I have a
little girl of three years old, whom everybody agrees in
considering angelic (did you ever hear such a commonplace?). Her
name is Blandine-Rachel, and her surname Moucheron. [Pet name;
literally, "little fly."] It goes without saying that she has a
complexion of roses and milk, and that her fair golden hair
reaches to her feet just like a savage. She is, however, the most
silent child, the most sweetly grave, the most philosophically
gay in the world. I have every reason to hope also that she will
not be a musician, from which may Heaven preserve her!

Well, my dear Monsieur Schumann, two or three times a week (on
fine and good days!) I play your "Kinderscenen" to her in the
evening; this enchants her, and me still more, as you may
imagine, so that often I go over the first repeat twenty times
without going any further. Really I think you would be satisfied
with this success if you could be a witness of it!

I think I have already expressed to you, in one of my former
letters, the desire I felt to see you write some ensemble pieces,
Trios, Quintets, or Septets. Will you pardon me for pressing this
point again? It seems to me that you would be more capable of
doing it than any one else nowadays. And I am convinced that
success, even commercial success, would not be wanting.

If between now and next winter you could complete some ensemble
work, it would be a real pleasure to me to make it known in
Paris, where that sort of composition, when well played, has more
chance of success than you perhaps think. I would even gladly
undertake to find a publisher for it, if you liked, which would
moreover in no wise prevent you from disposing of it for Germany.

In the interim I mean to play in public your "Carnaval," and some
of the "Davidsbundlertanze" and of the "Kinderscenen." The
"Kreisleriana," and the "Fantaisie" which is dedicated to me, are
more difficult of digestion for the public. I shall reserve them
till later.

Up to the present time I only know the following works of
yours:--

Impromptus on a theme by Clara Wieck.
Pianoforte Sonata, dedicated to Clara.
Concerto without orchestra.
"Etudes Symphoniques"
"Davidsbundlertanze"
"Kreisleriana."
"Carnaval."
"Kinderscenen" and my "Fantaisie."

If you would have the kindness to complete your works to me it
would be a great pleasure to me; I should like to have them bound
all together in three or four volumes. Haslinger, on his side,
will send you my Etudes and my other publications as they come
out.

What you tell me of your private life has interested and touched
me deeply. If I could, I know not how, be in the least pleasant
or useful to you in these circumstances, dispose of me as you
will. Whatever happens, count on my absolute discretion and
sincere devotion. If I am not asking too much, tell me if it is
Clara of whom you speak. But if this question should seem to you
misplaced, do not answer it.

Have you met at Leipzig Mr. Frank, [Dr. Hermann Frank edited
Brockhaus' Allgemeine Zeitung for a year.] at the present moment
editor of the Leipzig Allgemeine Zeitung? From the little I know
of him (for he has been much more intimate with Chopin and Hiller
than with me) I think he is capable of understanding you. He has
left a charming impression behind him in Rome. If you see him,
give him my affectionate regards.

My plans remain the same. I still intend to be in Vienna at the
beginning of December, and in Paris at the end of February. I
shall be capable of coming to look you up in Leipzig if you will
let me make the journey from Paris with you. Try! Adieu, my dear
Monsieur Schumann; write soon (address care of Ricordi, Florence:
I shall be in the neighborhood of Lucca till the middle of
September), and depend always on my sincere esteem and lively
affection.

Yours in all friendship,

F. Liszt



20. To Breitkopf and Hartel

[Milan, June, 1839]

Gentleman,

About three weeks ago I gave to Mr. Ricordi (who was on his way
to Rome) the proofs of the two Symphonies you addressed to me. I
hope they have reached you by now. Forgive me for having kept
them so long, and also for having corrected them with so much
care. But, firstly, they did not reach me till about the 20th of
February, and then I did not know how to send them to you direct,
for the diligences in this happy country are so insecure. I am
therefore of necessity (though very unwillingly) behindhand.

Allow me to ask you for a second proof (for it is of great
consequence to me that the edition should be as correct as
possible), and this time I will beg you to send me three proofs
of each Symphony, so that I may forward one to Paris and the
other to London. Probably there will not be any more corrections
to make in this second proof, and in that case I will let you
know in two words (without returning your proof), telling you at
the same time the date of publication.

My intention being to visit Vienna, Munich, and perhaps Leipzig
at the beginning of next year (before going to England in the
month of April), I shall take advantage of this opportunity to
let the Symphonies be heard at my concerts, so as to give them a
certain publicity.

I have looked through the Lieder you have been good enough to
send me. I shall certainly do the "Adelaide," however difficult
it may seem to me to transcribe simply and elegantly. As regards
the others, I am afraid I cannot find the necessary time.
Moreover, that good Haslinger overwhelms me with Schubert. I have
just sent him twenty-four more new songs ("Schwanengesang" and
"Winterreise"), and for the moment I am rather tired with this
work.

Would you be so kind as to send me, at the same time with the
proofs of the Beethoven Symphonies, Mr. Mendelssohn's "Preludes
and Fugues"? It is an extremely remarkable work, and it has been
impossible to get it in Italy. I shall be greatly obliged if you
will send it me.

When you see Mr. Schumann please remember me very kindly to him.
I have received the "Fantaisie" which he has done me the honor to
dedicate to me, and the "Kinderscenen." Don't you think you ought
to publish a book of Studies by him? I should be extremely
curious to make acquaintance with them. All his works interest me
in a high degree. It would be difficult for me to say as much of
many of the compositions of my respected colleagues, with some
exceptions.

I beg to remain, Gentlemen,

Yours most sincerely,

F. Liszt

Address the Symphonies to Mr. Ricordi, Florence. From the 15th of
June till the 1st of September I shall be in the neighborhood of
Lucca. Ricordi's address is the safest.



21. To the Beethoven Committee at Bonn

[Printed in L. Ramann's Biography of Liszt, vol. 1]

Gentlemen,

As the subscription for Beethoven's monument is only getting on
slowly, and as the carrying out of this undertaking seems to be
rather far distant, I venture to make a proposal to you, the
acceptance of which would make me very happy. [In Bonn,
Beethoven's birthplace, a committee had been formed to erect a
Beethoven monument. Yet, in spite of the assent which met the
proposal, the contributions flowed in so meagrely--Paris, for
example, contributed only 424 francs 90 centimes--that Liszt, on
reading this in a paper, immediately formed the noble resolution
mentioned in the above letter. "Such a niggardly almsgiving, got
together with such trouble and sending round the hat, must not be
allowed to help towards building our Beethoven's monument!" he
wrote to Berlioz. Thus the German nation has in great measure to
thank Franz Liszt for the monument erected to its greatest
composer at Bonn.]

I offer myself to make up, from my own means, the sum still
wanting for the erection of the monument, and ask no other
privilege than that of naming the artist who shall execute the
work. That artist is Bartolini of Florence, who is universally
considered the first sculptor in Italy.

I have spoken to him about the matter provisionally, and he
assures me that a monument in marble (which would cost about
fifty to sixty thousand francs) could be finished in two years,
and he is ready to begin the work at once. I have the honor to
be, etc.,

Franz Liszt

Pisa, October 3rd, 1839



22. To Count Leo Festetics in Pest

[Printed in F. von Schober's "Letters about Liszt's Sojourn in
Hungary."]

Dear Count,

Shall you like to have me again at Pest this year? I know not. In
any case you are threatened with my presence from the 18th to the
22nd of next December. I shall come to you a little older, a
little more matured, and, permit me to say, more finished an
artist, than I was when you saw me last year, for since that time
I have worked enormously in Italy. I hope you have kept me in
remembrance, and that I may always count on your friendship,
which is dear to me.

What joy, what an immense happiness it will be to be once more in
my own country, to feel myself surrounded by such noble and
vigorous sympathies, which, thank God, I have done nothing to
forfeit in my distant and wandering life. What feelings, what
emotions will then fill my breast! All this, dear Count, I will
not attempt to express to you, for in truth I should not know
how. Let it suffice you to know that the love of my country, of
my chivalrous and grand country, has ever lived most deeply in my
heart; and that, if unhappily it does not seem likely that I can
ever show to my country what a love and devotion I feel for it,
the sentiments will remain none the less unchanged in my heart.

But I will not tire you any longer with myself and my sentiments.

I forgot to tell you that for nearly a week I have been confined
to my bed with a very severe fever, which might easily have
become more serious still. My second concert was obliged to be
put off on account of it. Today my doctor has given me permission
to play on Wednesday. I don't really know whether I shall be able
to do it, for my hand trembles fearfully. Excuse this horrible
writing, but I did want to send you a few words. It is a sort of
anticipation of Pest, which is sweet to me.

A revoir then very soon, dear Count; meanwhile believe me, as
ever, yours most sincerely,

F. Liszt

November 24th, 1839, in bed



23. To Clara Wieck

[The great pianist, afterwards Schumann's wife.]

Pest, December 25th, 1839

How grateful I am, Mademoiselle, for the kind remembrance you
keep of me! And how much I am already rejoicing at the thought of
seeing you and hearing you again soon in Leipzig! I was so vexed
not to be in Paris last winter when I knew you were going to
spend some time there. Perhaps I should have been able to be of
some little use to you there. You know that, at all times and in
every country, I shall always be at your service. I should become
too lengthy if I allowed myself to reply in detail to your kind
questions about my new compositions. I worked immensely hard in
Italy. Without exaggeration I think I have written four to five
hundred pages of pianoforte music. If you have patience to hear
half a quarter of them I shall be delighted to play them to you,
so so.

The "Studies after Paganini," which are dedicated to you, will
only appear in two months' time; but I will bring you the proofs,
which have long been corrected, to Leipzig.

Once more many thanks, and many tender and respectful wishes for
everything that can contribute to your happiness. And above all a
bientot.

Yours in admiration and sympathy,

F. Liszt



24. To Robert Schumann in Leipzig

[Autograph in the Royal Library in Berlin.]

Dresden, March 27th, 1840

My dear Schumann,

It is all splendid. Only I should prefer to play the "Hexameron"
last, so as to finish with orchestra. Please, therefore, have the
"Etudes" and the "Carnaval" put after the Mendelssohn Concerto!
[Refers to Liszt's third concert in Leipzig, on March 30th, 1840,
for the benefit of the Orchestral Pension Fund.]

Best remembrances to Mendelssohn and Hiller; and believe me yours
ever,

F. Liszt

I shall certainly return Monday morning, for on Sunday I am
giving a concert for the poor here. But if it should de possible
for me to come on Sunday...but I doubt it. [Together with this
letter a friend, Carl K[ragen?], writes to Schumann: "He [Liszt]
has played me the glorious Mendelssohn Concerto. It was divine!
Tomorrow Tieck is to read Faust for Liszt at my mother's house,
and Liszt is to play at our house with Lipinski!, Do come for it!
Ah, if you could only induce Mendelssohn and his wife to come
too!"]



25. To Franz von Schober in Vienna

[The autographs of all the letters in this collection to Schober
are in the possession of Fran Babette Wolf at Dresden.-Addressed
to the poet and writer, an intimate and worthy friend of Franz
Schubert. He became Councillor of Legation to Weimar, and died at
Dresden in 1882.]

Metz, April 3rd, 1840

I did not get any news from you at Leipzig, dear Schober, as I
expected. I am afraid I was very indiscreet in asking you to be
so good as to undertake this work, which I should have valued so
much, coming from you. [In answer to the distorted reports in
various newspapers of Liszt's visit to Hungary (January, 1840),
Schober, who had been an eyewitness, thought it right to clear up
the misrepresentations, which he did in the form of "Letters
about Liszt's Sojourn in Hungary"; these he published, but much
later (Berlin, Schlesinger, 1843)] But I will not speak of it any
more. If by any chance you have already done it I should be
grateful to you to send it me--otherwise we will not speak of it
any more.

Do you know that I have been pursued by one constant regret
during my journey, the regret not to have induced you to
accompany me? Your society has always been beneficial and
strengthening to me: I do not know why, but I imagine that we
should live smoothly together. Your qualities, your faults (if
you have any), your character and temper, all please me and
attach me to you. You know that I flatter myself I can understand
and appreciate you...Should you see any great difficulty in
joining me somewhere next autumn-at Venice, for example--and in
making a European tour with me? Answer me frankly on this matter.
And once more, the question of money need not be considered. As
long as we are together (and I should like you to have at least
three free years before you) my purse will be yours, on the sole
condition that you consent to undertake the management of our
expenses,--and that you are thoroughly convinced beforehand of
the gratitude I shall feel towards you.

Excuse me, my dear good friend, for entering so plainly into
matters, but we have talked together too openly, it seems to me,
for it to be possible that your delicate feeling on certain
points should be wounded by this.

I have sent back Kiss, of Dresden. He is a good fellow, but a
little awkward, and wanting in a certain point of honor, without
which a man is not a man as I understand the word. So I am alone
now, and am not going to have any one tacked on to me. A former
pupil of mine, Monsieur Hermann, has undertaken to arrange my
concerts, which is a great relief to me. A propos of concerts, I
gave six (in nine days!) at Prague, three at Dresden, and the
same number at Leipzig (in twelve days)--so I am perfectly tired
out, and feel great need of rest. That was good, wasn't it?
Adieu, my dear good friend-let me hear from you soon (address 19,
Rue Pigalle, Paris), and depend entirely upon me--nunc et semper.

Yours ever sincerely,

F. Liszt

Will you be so good as to go to Diabelli's [Music publisher in
Vienna] when you pass by, and advise him again not to publish the
third part of the Hungarian Melodies (which I sent him by Hartel)
without first sending me a proof to Paris to correct. Adieu.

Best remembrances to Kriehuber [A well-known Vienna painter and
lithographer, from whom a number of Liszt portraits have come.]
and Lowy. Why does not the latter write to me?



26. To Maurice Schlesinger, Editor of the Gazette Musicale in
Paris

[Given by L. Ramann, "Franz Liszt," vol. ii., i.]

Sir,

Allow me to protest against an inexact assertion in your last
number but one:--

"Messieurs Liszt and Cramer have asked for the Legion of Honor,"
etc.

I do not know if M. Cramer (who has just been nominated) has
obtained the cross.

In any case I think that you, like every one else, will approve
of a nomination so perfectly legitimate.

As to myself, if it be true that my name has figured in the list
of candidates, this can only have occurred entirely without my
knowledge. It has always seemed to me that distinctions of this
sort could only be accepted, but never "asked for."

I am, sir, etc.,

F. Liszt

London, May 14th, 1840



27. To Franz von Schober

[London, May or June, 1840]

My worthy friend,

A fortnight ago my mother wrote me word that she had given
several letters, which had come for me from Germany, to a
gentleman who was to bring them to me to London. I suppose there
was one from you among the number, but up to now I have not
received anything.

Allow me to repeat once more the request, which I have already
made to you, to come for some time with me (a year or two, and
more if you can); for I feel deeply that, the more we are
separated by time and space, the more my thoughts and my heart go
out to you. I have rarely felt this so strongly, and my wish to
feel you settled with me grows daily stronger.

Moreover the persuasion that I feel that we should pass a happy
and serious life together, makes me again press you further.

Try then to be at liberty as soon as possible, and once for all
make a frank and friendly resolve. I assure you that it will not
be difficult to ameliorate, by each other, our two lives, which
in their different ways are sad and bad thus separated.

Let me have two words in reply on this point--which, to tell the
truth, is the only important one for us both at this moment.
Speak quite freely to me, and depend on me thoroughly.

Yours ever,

F. Liszt

Address care of Erard, 18, Great Marlborough Street.

Need I again assure you that any question will not be a question
between us?



28. To Franz von Schober

Stonehenge, Salisbury, August 29th, 1840

It is with an unspeakable feeling of sadness and vexation that I
write to you today, my dear good friend! Your letter had done me
so much good; I was so happy at the thought of our meeting at the
end of the autumn at latest; I wanted so to feel that I could
rest on your arm, and that your heart, so full of kindness and
brotherly help, was near me,--and, lo and behold! I am obliged to
give it up, or at least to put it off...

An unfortunate engagement which I have just renewed, and which
will keep me in England till the end of January, makes it
impossible for me to say to you the one word which I wish to say,
"Come!"--

England is not like any other country; the expenses are enormous.
I really dare not ask you to travel with me here, for it would
almost ruin us. Moreover we should hardly be able to be together,
for I have three or four compulsory companions, from whom it is
impossible for me to separate. I hoped to have done with all that
by the beginning of October, but now I have to begin again in the
middle of November. If I have time to make my journey to Russia
this year it will be the utmost I can do, but it is a journey
that I am in a way obliged to make after the gracious invitation
of Her Majesty the Empress at Ems. On the 15th of next May I
return again to London, probably by the steamer coming direct
from St. Petersburg.

Where shall I find you in a year--fifteen months? It is very
possible that I shall come and look for you in Vienna, but then I
shall assuredly not leave without taking you with me.

I have some thoughts of spending the following winter at
Constantinople. I am tired of the West; I want to breathe
perfumes, to bask in the sun, to exchange the smoke of coal for
the sweet smoke of the narghileh [Turkish pipe]. In short, I am
pining for the East! O my morning land! O my Aborniko!--

My uncle writes that you have been very good and obliging to him.
I thank you warmly.--Do you meet Castelli from time to time? When
you see him beg him from me to translate the article I published
in the Paris "Revue Musicale" (of August 23rd) on Paganini, and
to get it put into the "Theater-Zeitung". I should be very glad
also if it could be translated into Hungarian, for the Hirnok
(excuse me if I make a mess of the word!), but I do not know who
could do it.

A propos of Hungarian! I shall always value highly the work on my
sojourn in Pest. Send it me as soon as you possibly can, and
address it to Madame la Comtesse d'Agoult, 10, Rue Neuve des
Mathurins, Paris. Most affectionate remembrances to Kriehuber.
His two portraits of me have been copied in London. They are
without doubt the best.

Adieu, my dear excellent Schober. In my next letter I shall ask
you about a matter of some consequence. It is about a Cantata for
Beethoven, which I should like to set to music and to have it
given at the great Festival which we expect to organize in 1842
for the inauguration of the Statue at Bonn.

Yours ever most affectionately,

F. Liszt



29. To Buloz

[Published in Ramann's "Franz Liszt," vol. ii., I.]

Editor of the Revue des Deux Mondes.

Sir,

In your Revue Musicale for October last my name was mixed up with
the outrageous pretensions and exaggerated success of some
executant artists; I take the liberty to address a few remarks to
you on this subject. [The enthusiastic demonstrations which had
been made to him in Hungary, his native land, had been put into a
category with the homage paid to singers and dancers, and the
bestowal of the sabre had been turned into special ridicule.
Liszt repelled this with justifiable pride.]

The wreaths thrown at the feet of Mesdemoiselles Elssler and
Pixis by the amateurs of New York and Palermo are striking
manifestations of the enthusiasm of a public; the sabre which was
given to me at Pest is a reward given by a NATION in an entirely
national form. In Hungary, sir, in that country of antique and
chivalrous manners, the sabre has a patriotic signification. It
is the special token of manhood; it is the weapon of every man
who has a right to carry a weapon. When six of the chief men of
note in my country presented me with it among the general
acclamations of my compatriots, whilst at the same moment the
towns of Pest and Oedenburg conferred upon me the freedom of the
city, and the civic authorities of Pest asked His Majesty for
letters of nobility for me, it was an act to acknowledge me
afresh as a Hungarian, after an absence of fifteen years; it was
a reward of some slight services rendered to Art in my country;
it was especially, and so I felt it, to unite me gloriously to
her by imposing on me serious duties, and obligations for life as
man and as artist.

I agree with you, sir, that it was, without doubt, going far
beyond my deserts up to the present time. Therefore I saw in that
solemnity the expression of a hope far more than of a
satisfaction. Hungary hailed in me the man from whom she expects
artistic illustriousness, after all the illustrious soldiers and
politicians she has so plentifully produced. As a child I
received from my country precious tokens of interest, and the
means of going abroad to develop my artistic vocation. When grown
up, and after long years, the young man returns to bring her the
fruits of his work and the future of his will, the enthusiasm of
the hearts which open to receive him and the expression of a
national joy must not be confounded with the frantic
demonstrations of an audience of amateurs.

In placing these two things side by side it seems tome there is
something which must wound a just national pride and sympathies
by which I am honored.

Be so kind as to insert these few lines in your next issue, and
believe me, sir,

Yours obediently,

Franz Liszt

Hamburg, October 26th, 1840



30. To Franz von Schober

I will write German to you, dear Schober, in order to tell you
all the quicker how much your letter pleased me. I have to thank
it for a really happy hour; and that comes so rarely in my
intolerable, monotonous life! For a fortnight past I have again
put my neck into the English yoke. Every day which God gives--a
concert, with a journey, previously, of thirty to fifty miles.
And so it must continue at least till the end of January. What do
you say to that?--

If I am not more than half-dead, I must still go at the end of
February to Berlin and Petersburg,--and come back to London by
the first steamer at the beginning of May. Then I think I shall
take a rest. Where and how I do not yet know, and it depends
entirely upon the Pecuniary results of my journeys. I should like
to go to Switzerland, and thence to Venice, but I can't yet say
anything definite.

.--. I have today written a long letter to Leo Festetics. I am
hungering and thirsting to go back to Hungary. Every recollection
of it has taken deep root in my soul...And yet I cannot go back!

I am grieved that you can tell me nothing better of Lannoy. I
cannot understand how that is possible. The news of the Queen has
given me great pleasure--if you hear anything more about her let
me know. I have a kind of weakness for her.

About the Cantata I will write to you fully later.

Farewell, and be happy if possible, dear Schober; write again
soon, and remain ever my friend.

F. L.

Excuse the spelling and writing of these lines! You know that I
never write German; Tobias [Tobias Haslinger, the Vienna music
publisher.] is, I think, the only one who gets German letters
from me.

Manchester, December 5th, 1840



31. To Breitkopf and Hartel

London, May 7th, 1841

Schlesinger has just told me that Mendelssohn's Melodies which I
sent you from London have come out. I can't tell you, my dear Mr.
Hartel, how much I am put out by this precipitate publication.
Independently of the material wrong it does me (for before
sending them to you these Melodies were sold in London and
Paris), I am thus unable to keep my word to Beale and Richault,
who expected to publish them simultaneously with you.

The evil being irremediable I have only thought how to get a
prompt vengeance out of it. You will tell me later on if you
think it was really a Christian vengeance.

The matter is this: I have just added a tremendous cadenza, three
pages long, in small notes, and anentire Coda, almost as long, to
Beethoven's "Adelaide". I played it all without being hissed at
the concert given at the Paris Conservatoire for the Beethoven
Monument, and I intend to play it in London, and in Germany and
Russia. Schlesinger has printed all this medley, such as it is.
Will you do the same? In that case, as I care chiefly for your
edition, I will beg you to have the last Coda printed in small
notes as an Ossia, without taking away anything from the present
edition, so that the purists can play the integral text only, if
the commentary is displeasing to them.

It was certainly a very delicate matter to touch "Adelaide", and
yet it seemed to me necessary to venture. Have I done it with
propriety and taste? Competent judges will decide.

In any case I beg you not to let any one but Mr. Schumann look
over your edition.

In conclusion allow me to remind you that I was rather badly paid
for "Adelaide" formerly, and if you should think proper to send
me a draft on a London bank, fair towards you and myself, I shall
always receive it with a "new pleasure"--to quote the favorite
words of His Majesty the King of the French.

With kind regards, believe me, my dear sir, yours most sincerely,

F. Liszt

Be so kind as to remember me very affectionately to Mendelssohn.
As for Schumann, I shall write to him direct very shortly.



32. To Simon Lowy In Vienna

[Autograph in the possession of Madame Emilie Dore in Vienna.]

London, May 20th, 1841

I am still writing to you from England, my dear friend. Since my
last letter (end of December, I think) I have completed my tour
of the three kingdoms (by which I lose, by the way, 1000 pounds
sterling net, on 1500 pounds which my engagement brought me!),
have ploughed my way through Belgium, with which I have every
reason to be satisfied, and have sauntered about in Paris for six
weeks. This latter, I don't hide it from you, has been a real
satisfaction to my self-love. On arriving there I compared myself
(pretty reasonably, it seems to me) to a man playing ecarte for
the fifth point. Well, I have had king and vole,--seven points
rather than five! [The "fifth" is the highest in this game, so
Liszt means that he won.]

My two concerts alone, and especially the third, at the
Conservatoire, for the Beethoven Monument, are concerts out of
the ordinary run, such as I only can give in Europe at the
present moment.

The accounts in the papers can only have given you a very
incomplete idea. Without self-conceit or any illusion, I think I
may say that never has so striking an effect, so complete and so
irresistible, been produced by an instrumentalist in Paris.

A propos of newspapers, I am sending you, following this, the
article which Fetis (formerly my most redoubtable antagonist) has
just published in the "Gazette Musicale". It is written very
cleverly, and summarises the question well. If Fischhof [A
musician, a Professor at the Vienna Conservatorium.] translated
it for Bauerle [Editor of the Theater-Zeitung (Theatrical
Times).] it would make a good effect, I fancy. However, do what
you like with it.

I shall certainly be on the Rhine towards the end of July, and
shall remain in that neighborhood till September. If Fischhof
came there I should be delighted to see him and have a talk with
him. Till then give him my most affectionate compliments, and
tell him to write me a few lines before he starts.

In November I shall start for Berlin, and shall pass the whole of
next winter in Russia.

Haslinger's behaviour to me is more than inexcusable. The dear
man is doing a stupidity of which he will repent soon. Never
mind; I will not forget how devoted he was to me during my first
stay in Vienna.

Would you believe that he has not sent me a word in reply to four
consecutive letters I have written to him? If you pass by Graben
will you be so kind as to tell him that I shall not write to him
any more, but that I expect from him, as an honest man of
business, if not as a friend, a line to tell me the fate of two
manuscripts ("Hongroises," and "Canzone Veneziane") which I sent
him.

I have just discovered a new mine of "Fantaisies"--and I am
working it hard. "Norma," "Don Juan," "Sonnambula," "Maometto,"
and "Moise" heaped one on the top of the other, and "Freischutz"
and "Robert le Diable" are pieces of 96, and even of 200, like
the old canons of the Republic of Geneva, I think. When I have
positively finished my European tour I shall come and play them
to you in Vienna, and however tired they may be there of having
applauded me so much, I still feel the power to move this public,
so intelligent and so thoroughly appreciative,--a public which I
have always considered as the born judge of a pianist.

Adieu, my dear Lowy--write soon, and address, till June 15th, at
18, Great Marlborough Street, and after that Paris.

Yours most sincerely,

F. Liszt

Is the Ungher [Caroline Ungher, afterwards Ungher-Sabatier, a
celebrated singer.] at Vienna? Will you kindly give or send to
her the letter which follows?

Have you, yes or no, sent off the two amber pieces which I gave
you at the time of my departure? I have been to fetch them from
the Embassy, but they were not there. Let me have two words in
reply about this.



33. To Franz von Schober

Truly, dear friend, I should like pages, days, years, to answer
your dear letter. Seldom has anything touched me so deeply. Take
heart for heart, and soul for soul,--and let us be for ever
friends.

You know how I am daily getting more concise; therefore nothing
further about myself, nothing further about Berlin. Tomorrow,
Thursday, at 2 o'clock, I start for Petersburg.

I have spoken to A. It is impossible on both sides. When we meet
and you are perfectly calm, we will go into details. I still hope
to meet you next autumn, either in Florence or on the Rhine.

Leo [Count Festetics] has written to me again. Write to me at
once to Konigsberg, to tell me where to address my next letter to
you. But write directly-simply your address.

I have sent all the proofs of your pamphlet to Brockhaus. Be so
good as to give him direct your final orders in regard to this
publication. I shall be so pleased to have some copies of it
while I am in	 Petersburg. The subject is very congenial to
me; I thank you once more most warmly for it.

One more shake of the hand in Germany, dearest friend, and in
heartfelt love yours ever,

F. Liszt

Remember me kindly to Sabatier, [The husband of Caroline Ungher,
the celebrated singer previously mentioned.] and don't quarrel
with him about me. To Caroline always the same friendship and
devotion.

Berlin, March 3rd, 1842.



34. To the faculty of philosophy at the university of Konigsberg.

[Printed in L. Ramann's "Franz Liszt," vol. ii., I.]

Much Esteemed and Learned Gentlemen,

It is in vain for me to attempt to express to you the deep and
heartfelt emotion you have aroused in me by your rare mark of
honor. The dignity of Doctor, granted by a Faculty in which, as
in yours, men of European celebrity assemble, makes me happy, and
would make me proud, were I not also convinced of the sense in
which it is granted to me.

I repeat that, with the honorable name of Teacher of Music (and I
refer to music in its grand, complete, and ancient
signification), by which you, esteemed gentlemen, dignify me, I
am well aware that I have undertaken the duty of unceasing
learning and untiring labour.

In the constant fulfillment of this duty-to maintain the dignity
of Doctor in a right and worthy manner, by propagating in word
and deed the little portion of knowledge and technical skill
which I can call my own, as a form of, and a means to, the True
["The beautiful is the glory of the true, Art is the radiancy of
thought." (Author's note.)] and the Divine--

In the constant fulfillment of this duty, and in any results
which are granted to me, the remembrance of your good wishes, and
of the touching manner in which a distinguished member of your
Faculty [Professors Rosenkranz and Jacobi invested Liszt with the
Doctor's Diploma.] has informed me of them, will be a living
support to me.

Accept, gentlemen, the expression of my highest esteem and
respect.

F. Liszt

Mittau, March 18th, 1842



35. To Court-Marshal Freiherr von Spiegel at Weimar

[Given by L. Ramann, "Franz Liszt," vol. ii., 1.]

Monsieur le Baron,

It is very difficult to reply to so gracefully flattering a
letter as your Excellency has been good enough to write to me.

I must nevertheless say that I wish with all my heart and in all
ways that I could answer it. I shall reach Weimar, bag and
baggage, towards the middle of October, and if I succeed in
communicating to others a little of the satisfaction I cannot
fail to find there, thanks to the gracious kindness of their
Highnesses and the friendly readiness of your Excellency, I shall
be only too glad.

Meanwhile I beg to remain, Monsieur le Baron, with respectful
compliments,

Yours obediently,

Cologne; September 12th, 1862.	F. Liszt



36. To Carl Filitsch.

[Autograph in the possession of Count Albert Amadei in Vienna.--
Addressed to the talented young pianist, born at Hermannstadt in
the Siebenburgen in 1830, died at Venice 1845, studied with
Chopin and Liszt in Paris in 1842-43, and created a sensation
with his concerts both there and in London, Vienna, and Italy.
According to Lenz, Liszt said of him, "When the youngster goes
travelling I shall shut up shop!"]

Compiegne, Wednesday Morning [1842 or 1843].

Dearly beloved conjurer,

How sorry I am to disappoint [Literally. "to make a false skip,"
a play-of-words with the next sentence.] you of our usual lesson
tomorrow! Your "false skips" would be a great deal pleasanter to
me! but, unless we could manage to put you where we could hear
you from the towers of Notre Dame to the Cathedral of Cologne,
there is a material impossibility in continuing our sort of
lessons, considering that by tomorrow evening I shall already be
at Cologne.

If I return, or when I return--I really don't know. Whatever
happens, keep a little corner of remembrance of me, and believe
me ever yours affectionately,

F. Liszt

Affectionate remembrances to your brother Joseph. Farewell again.
I embrace you affectionately.



37. To Franz von Schober in Paris

Berlin, March 4th, 1844

You are a dear, faithful friend, and I thank you with all my
heart for your kind letter. God reward you for your love to such
a jaded, worn-out creature as I am! I can only assure you that I
feel it deeply and gratefully, and that your words soothe many
spasmodic annoyances.

At the end of this month we shall certainly see each other in
Paris. Villers [Alexander von Villers, a friend of Liszt's,
attache of the Saxon Embassy in Vienna.] is coming also. In case
Seydlitz is still there make my excuses to him, and tell him
that, owing to my delay at Dresden, I only got his letter
yesterday. I will answer him immediately, and will address to
Lefebre, as he tells me to do. I have had several conferences
with the H[ereditary] G[rand] D[uke] and Eckermann. [The editor
of Goethe's "Gesprachen"] Our business seems to me to stand on a
firm footing. Next autumn the knots will be ready to tie. [Refers
probably to Schober's subsequent appointment at Weimar.]

My room is too full. I have got a tremendous fit of Byron on. Be
indulgent and kind as ever!

Remember me to the Sabatiers, and stick to me! Yours most
affectionately,

F. Liszt



38. To Franz Kroll

[Pupil and friend of Liszt's (1820-1877); since 1849 settled in
Berlin as a pianoforte teacher; rendered great service by his
edition of Bach's "Das wohltemperirte Clavier."]

My dear good Kroll,

What a first-rate man you are to me, and what pleasure your
letter has given me! Probably you already know that I also have
been figuring as an invalid these last five weeks.--God be
thanked and praised that I am already pretty fairly on my legs
again, without rheumatism in the joints or gout! In a few days I
shall begin my provincial tour (Lyons, Marseilles, Toulouse,
Bordeaux), and then towards the end of August by steamer to
Stockholm and Copenhagen. Weymar, our good, dear Weymar, will
again be our Christmas Day! Oh what beautiful apples and trifles
we will hang on our Christmas tree! and what talks and
compositions, and projects and plans! Only don't you disappoint
me, and mind you come fresh and well. Leave the bad looks to me,
and see that you fill out your cheeks properly. This winter	 we
must be industrious, and struggle through much work.

Your Mazurkas are most excellent and talented. You have put a
great deal into them--and, if you will allow me to speak quite
freely--perhaps too much into them, for much of it halts.
Although the dedication to me is both pleasing and gratifying, I
cannot help thinking that it would be to your interest not to
publish anything before next spring. Take advantage of being as
yet unknown, and give to the public from the beginning a proper
opinion of your talent by a collective publication. Write a
couple of pleasing, brilliant Studies--perhaps also a Notturno
(or something of that sort), and an effective Fantasia on some
conspicuous theme. Then let Schlesinger, Hartel, or Mechetti (to
whom I will most gladly speak about your works beforehand)
publish the six pieces--your Concerto and the C major Study,
together with the later pieces--all together, so that publisher,
critic, artist, and public all have to do with them at the same
time. Instead of dishing up one little sweetmeat for the people,
give them a proper dinner. I am very sorry I did not follow this
plan myself; for, after much experience, I consider it far the
best, especially for pianoforte works. In Weymar we will talk
more fully and definitely about this. Conradi [Musician and
friend in Berlin] is also to come. I don't require the Huguenot
Fantasia at present. He will have time enough for it in Weymar.
En attendant, [A German letter, so Liszt's own French expression
is kept] Schlesinger will give him a modest payment for the work
he has begun. Please kindly see about the enclosed letters for
Freund as soon as possible.

With all good wishes, I am, dear Kroll,

Yours most sincerely,

F. Liszt

Port Marly, June 11th, 1844



39. To Freund

[Autograph in the possession of Professor Hermann Scholtz in
Dresden.]

I am shockingly behindhand with you, my dear Freund, but I won't
make any excuses, although an illness of more than a month comes
rather a propos to justify me fully and even more.

Herewith letters and cards for Baron Lannoy (Haslinger will give
you the address), for Prince Fritz Schwarzenberg, and for Doctor
Uwe, Kriehuber, and Simon Lowy, who will soon be back in Vienna.
I shall be glad if you will give them in any case, whether now or
later. If you want to give me a pleasure you will go and see my
uncle Eduard Liszt, and try to distract him a little.

I detest repeating myself in letters so much that I can't write
over again to you my plans of travel up to the beginning of
winter; these I have just told Kroll in full, and you already
know them from Hanover.

Teleky, Bethlen (Friends of Liszt's), and Corracioni are here,
and form a kind of colony which I call the Tribe of the Huns!

Probably Teleky will come and pick me up at Weymar towards the
middle of February, and we shall go together to Vienna and Pest--
not forgetting Temesvar, Debreczin, and Klausenburg!

I hope then to find you in Vienna, and shall perhaps be able to
give you a good lift.

Meanwhile acknowledge the receipt of these lines: enjoy yourself,
and remain to me always friend Freund. [A play on his name
Freund, which means friend.]

Yours most sincerely and affectionately,

F. Liszt

Port Marly, June 11th, 1844.



40. To Franz Von Schober.

Gibraltar, March 3rd, 1845.

Your letter pleases me like a child, my dear good Schober!
Everything comes to him who can wait. But I scarcely can wait to
congratulate you and to see you again in Weymar [as Councillor of
Legation there]. Unhappily it is not probable that I can get
there before the end of next autumn. Keep me in your good books,
therefore, until then, and accept my best thanks in advance for
all you will have done for me and fought for me till then, both
in Weymar and in Hungary!

With regard to Vienna, Lowy writes me almost exactly the same as
you. To tell the truth I am extremely thankful to the Vienna
public, for it was they who, in a critically apathetic moment,
roused and raised me [When he came from Venice to Vienna in the
spring of 1838, to give a concert for the benefit of his
Hungarian compatriots after the inundations, on which occasion,
although Thalberg, Clara Wieck, and Henselt had been there before
him, he aroused the utmost enthusiasm.]; but still I don't feel
the slightest obligation to return there a year sooner or later.
My Vienna journey will pretty much mark the end of my virtuoso
career. I hope to go thence (in the month of August, 1846) to
Constantinople, and on my return to Italy to pass my dramatic
Rubicon or Fiasco.

So much for my settled plans.

What precisely is going to become of me this coming spring and
summer I do not exactly know. In any case to Paris I will not go.
You know why. My incredibly wretched connection with _____ has
perhaps indirectly contributed more than anything to my Spanish-
Portuguese tour. I have no reason to regret having come, although
my best friends tried to dissuade me from it. Sometimes it seems
to me that my thoughts ripen and that my troubles grow
prematurely old under the bright and penetrating sun of Spain...

Many kind messages to Eckermann and Wolff. [Professor Wolff,
editor of "Der poetische Hausschatz."] I will write to the latter
from the Rhine, where I shall at any rate spend a month this
summer (perhaps with my mother and Cosima). If he is still
inclined to return to his and your countries (Denmark and
Sweden), we can make a nice little trip there as a holiday treat.

Good-bye, my dear excellent friend. Allow me to give you as true
a love as I feel is a necessity of my heart! Ever yours,

F. Liszt

What is Villers doing? If you see him tell him to write me a line
to Marseilles, care of M. Boisselot, Pianoforte Maker.



41. To Franz Kroll at Glogau

Weymar, March 26th, 1845

My very dear Kroll,

The arrival of your letter and the packet which accompanied it
decided a matter of warm contest between our friend Lupus
[Presumably Liszt's friend, Professor Wolff (1791-1851).] and
Farfa-Magne-quint-quatorze! [For whom this name was intended is
not clear.] It consisted in making the latter see the difference
between the two German verbs "verwundern" (to amaze) and
"bewundern" (to admire), and to translate clearly, according to
her wits, which are sometimes so ingeniously refractory, what
progress there is from Verwundern (amazement) to Erstaunen
(astonishment). Imagine, now, with what a wonderful solution of
the difficulty your packet and letter furnished us, and how
pleased I was at the following demonstration:--

"We must admire (bewundern) Kroll's fine feeling of friendship;
we may be amazed (verwundern) at the proof he has given of his
industry in copying out the Mass; should this industry continue
we shall first of all be astonished (erstaunen), and by degrees,
through the results he will bring about, we again attain to
admiration (Bewunderung)."

I don't know how you will judge, critically, of this example, but
what is certain is that it appeared to be quite conclusive to our
auditory.

Ernst [The celebrated violinist (1814-65)] has just been spending
a week here, during which he has played some hundred rubbers of
whist at the "Erbprinz." His is a noble, sweet, and delicate
nature, and more than once during his stay I have caught myself
regretting you for him, and regretting him for you. Last Monday
he was good enough to play, in his usual and admirable manner, at
the concert for the Orchestral Pension Fund. The pieces he had
selected were his new "Concerto pathetique" (in F~ minor) and an
extremely piquant and brilliant "Caprice on Hungarian Melodies."
(This latter piece is dedicated to me.) The public was in a good
humor, even really warm, which is usually one of its least
faults.

Milde, who is, as you know, not much of a talker, has
nevertheless the tact to say the right thing sometimes. Thus,
when we went to see Ernst off at the railway, he expressed the
feeling of us all--"What a pity that Kroll is not here!"

For the most part you have left here the impression which you
will leave in every country--that of a man of heart, talent,
tact, and intellect. One of these qualities alone is enough to
distinguish a man from the vulgar herd; but when one is so well
born as to possess a quartet of them it is absolutely necessary
that the will, and an active will, should be added to them in
order to make them bring out their best fruits,--and this I am
sure you will not be slow to do.

Your brother came through here the day before yesterday, thinking
he should still find you here. I have given him your address, and
told him to inquire about you at Schlesinger's in Berlin, where
he expects to be on the 8th of April; so do not fail to let
Schlesinger know, in one way or another, when you get to Berlin.
As M. de Zigesar [The Intendant at Weimar.] I was obliged to
start in a great hurry for The Hague, in the suite of the
Hereditary Grand Duchess, I will wait till his return to send you
the letters for Mr. de Witzleben. I will address them to
Schlesinger early in April.

We are studying hard at the Duke of Coburg's opera "Toni, oder
die Vergellung," ["Toni, or the Requital"] which we shall give
next Saturday. The score really contains some pretty things and
which make a pleasing effect; unluckily I cannot say as much for
the libretto.

Your castle in the air for May we will build up on a solid basis
in Weymar; for I am quite calculating on seeing you then,
together with our charming, good, worthy friend Conradi. Will you
please, dear Kroll, tell Mr. Germershausen and his family how
gratified I am with their kind remembrance? When I go to Sagan I
shall certainly give myself the pleasure of calling on him.

Believe me ever your very sincere and affectionate friend,

F. Liszt



42. To Abbe de Lamennais

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.]

Permit me, illustrious and venerable friend, to recall myself to
your remembrance through M. Ciabatta, who has already had the
honor of being introduced to you last year at my house. He has
just been making a tour in Spain and Portugal with me, and can
give you all particulars about it. I should have been glad also
to get him to take back to you the score, now completed, of the
chorus which you were so good as to entrust to me ("The iron is
hard, let us strike!"), but unfortunately it is not with music as
with painting and poetry: body and soul alone are not enough to
make it comprehensible; it has to be performed, and very well
performed too, to be understood and felt. Now the performance of
a chorus of the size of that is not an easy matter in Paris, and
I would not even risk it without myself conducting the
preliminary rehearsals. While waiting till a favorable
opportunity offers, allow me to tell you that I have been happy
to do this work, and that I trust I have not altogether failed in
it. Were it not for the fear of appearing to you very indiscreet,
I should perhaps venture to trespass on your kindness for the
complete series of these simple, and at the same time sublime,
compositions, of which you alone know the secret. Three other
choruses of the same kind as that of the Blacksmiths, which
should sum up the most poetical methods of human activity, and
which should be called (unless you advise otherwise) Labourers,
Sailors, and Soldiers, would form a lyric epic of which the
genius of Rossini or Meyerbeer would be proud. I know I have no
right to make any such claim, but your kindness to me has always
been so great that I have a faint hope of obtaining this new and
glorious favor. If, however, this work would give you even an
hour's trouble, please consider my request as not having been
made, and pardon me for the regret which I shall feel at this
beautiful idea being unrealized.

As business matters do not necessarily call me to Paris, I prefer
not to return there just now. I expect to go to Bonn in the month
of July, for the inauguration of the Beethoven Monument, and to
have a Cantata performed there which I have written for this
occasion. The text, at any rate, is tolerably new; it is a sort
of Magnificat of human Genius conquered by God in the eternal
revelation through time and space,--a text which might apply
equally well to Goethe or Raphael or Columbus, as to Beethoven.
At the beginning of winter I shall resume my duties at the Court
of Weymar, to which I attach more and more a serious importance.

If you were to be so very good as to write me a few lines, I
should be most happy and grateful. If you would send them either
to my mother's address, Rue Louis le Grand, 20; or to that of my
secretary, Mr. Belloni, Rue Neuve St. George, No. 5, I should
always get them in a very short time.

I have the honor to be, sir, yours very gratefully,

F. Liszt

Marseilles, April 28th, 1845



43. To Frederic Chopin

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.--
The great Polish tone-poet (1809-49) was most intimate with Liszt
in Paris. The latter, in his work "F. Chopin" 1851, second
edition 1879, Breitkopf and Hartel; German translation by La
Mara, 1880), raised an imperishable monument to him.]

Dear Chopin,

M. Benacci, a member of the Maison Troupenas, and in my opinion
the most intelligent editor, and the most liberal in business
matters, in France, asks me for a letter of introduction to you.
I give it all the more willingly, as I am convinced that under
all circumstances you will have every reason to be satisfied with
his activity and with whatever he does. Mendelssohn, whom he met
in Switzerland two years ago, has made him his exclusive editor
for France, and I, for my part, am just going to do the same. It
would be a real satisfaction to me if you would entrust some of
your manuscripts to him, and if these lines should help in making
you do so I know he will be grateful to me.

Yours ever, in true and lively friendship,

F. Liszt

Lyons, May 21st, 1845



44. To George Sand.

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.--
A friendship of long years subsisted between Liszt and France's
greatest female writer, George Sand. At her home of Nohant he was
a frequent guest, together with the Comtesse d'Agoult. Three
letters which he wrote (in 1835 and 1837) for the Gazette
Musicale--clever talks about Art, Nature, Religion, Freedom,
etc.--bear George Sand's address.]

Without wishing to add to your other inevitable troubles that of
a correspondence for which you care little, allow me, dear
George, to claim for myself your old indulgence for people who
write to you without requiring an answer, and let me recall
myself to you by these few lines through M. Benacci. Their
ostensible object is to recommend the above-mentioned Benacci, so
that you, in your turn, may recommend him more particularly to
Chopin (and I may add in parenthesis that I should abstain from
this negotiation were I not firmly persuaded that Chopin will
never regret entering into business relations with Benacci, who,
in his capacity of member of the firm of Troupenas, is one of the
most important and most intelligent men of his kind); but the
real fact of the matter is that I am writing to you above all--
and why should I not confess it openly?--for the pleasure of
conversing with you for a few moments. Therefore don't expect
anything interesting from me, and if my handwriting bothers you,
throw my letter into the fire without going any further.

Do you know with whom I have just had endless conversations about
you, in sight of Lisbon and Gibraltar? With that kind, excellent,
and original Blavoyer, the Ahasuerus of commerce, whom I had
already met several times without recognising him, until at last
I remembered our dinners at the "Ecu" (Crown) at Geneva, and the
famous Pipe!

During the month's voyage from Lisbon to Barcelona we emptied I
cannot tell you how many bottles of sherry in your honor and
glory; and one fine evening he confided to me in so simple and
charming a manner his vexation at being unable to find several
letters that you had written to him in Russia, I think, and which
have been stolen from him, that I took a liking to him, and he
did the same to me. The fact is that there could not possibly be
two Blavoyers under the sun, and his own person is the only
pattern of which he cannot furnish goods wholesale, for there is
no sort of thing that he does not supply to all parts of the
globe.

A propos of Lisbon and supplies, have you a taste for camellias?
It would be a great pleasure to me to send you a small cargo of
them from Oporto, but I did not venture to do it without knowing,
in case you might perhaps have a decided antipathy to them.

In spite of the disinterestedness with which I began this letter,
I come round, almost without knowing how, to beg you to write to
me. Don't do more than you like; but in any case forgive me for
growing old and arriving at the point when noble recollections
grow in proportion as the narrowing meannesses of daily life find
their true level. Yes, even if you thought me more of a fool than
formerly, it would be impossible for me to hold your friendship
cheap, or not to prize highly the fact that, somehow or other, it
has not come to be at variance nor entirely at an end.

As the exigencies of my profession will not allow me leisure to
return so soon to Paris, I shall probably not have the
opportunity of seeing you for two years. Towards the middle of
July I go to Bonn for the inauguration of the Beethoven Monument.
Were it not that a journey to the Rhine is so commonplace, I
should beg you to let me do the honors of the left and of the
right bank to you, as well as to Chopin (a little less badly than
I was able to do the honors of Geneva!). My mother and my
children are to join me at Cologne in five or six weeks, but I
cannot hope for such good luck as that we might meet in those
parts, although after your winters of work and fatigue a journey
of this kind would be a refreshing distraction for you both.

At the close of the autumn I shall resume my duties at Weymar;
later on I shall go to Vienna and Hungary, and proceed thence to
Italy by way of Constantinople, Athens, and Malta.

If, therefore, one of these fine days you should happen to be in
the humor, send me a word in reply about the camellias; if you
will send your letter to my mother (20, Rue Louis le Grand) I
shall get it immediately. In every way, count upon my profound
friendship and most respectful devotion always and everywhere.

Lyons, May 21st, 1845

F. Liszt



45. T Abbe De Lamennais

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.]

Oh no, there is not, and there never could be, any indiscretion
from you towards me. Believe me that I do not deceive myself as
to the motive which determined you to write to me with such great
kindness, and if it happened that I replied too sanguinely and at
too great length I beg you to excuse me. Above all do not punish
me by withdrawing from me the smallest particle of your sacred
friendship.

M. de Lamartine, with whom I have been spending two or three days
at Montceau, told me that you had read to him "Les Forgerons," so
I played him the music. Permit me still to hope that some day you
may be willing to complete the series, and that I, on my side,
may not be unworthy of this task.

Yours most heartily,

Dijon, June 1st, 1845

F. Liszt



46. To Gaetano Belloni in Paris

[Autograph in the possession of M. Etienne Charavay in Paris.--
Addressed to Liszt's valued secretary during his concert tours in
Europe from 1841-1847.]

Dear and Most Excellent Belloni,

Everything is moving on, and shall not stop either. Bonn is in a
flutter since I arrived and I shall easily put an end to the
paltry, under-hand opposition which had been formed against me.
By the time you arrive I shall have well and duly conquered my
true position.

[This refers to the Festival in Bonn, of several days' duration,
for the unveiling of the Beethoven Monument (by Hahnel), in which
Liszt, the generous joint-founder of the monument, took part as
pianist, composer, and conductor.]

Will you please add to the list of your commissions:

The cross of Charles III.

and the cross of Christ of Portugal, large size? You know it is
worn on the neck.

Don't lose time and don't be too long in coming.

Yours ever,

F. Liszt

July 23rd, 1845.

Kindest regards to Madame Belloni.--I enclose a few lines for
Benacci, which you will kindly give him.



47. To Madame Rondonneau at Sedan

[Autograph in the possession of M. Etienne Charavay in Paris.]

In spite of rain, snow, hail, and frost, here I am at last,
having reached the hotel of the Roman Emperor at Frankfort after
forty-eight hours' travelling, and I take the first opportunity
of telling you anew, though not for the last time, how much I
feel the charming and affectionate reception which you have given
me during my too short, and, unhappily for me, too unfortunate
stay at Sedan. Will you, dear Madame, be so kind as to be my
mouthpiece and special pleader to Madame Dumaitre, who has been
so uncommonly kind and cordial to me? Assuredly I could not
confide my cause (bad as it may be) to more delicate hands and to
a more persuasive eloquence, if eloquence only consists in
reality of "the art of saying the right thing, the whole of the
right thing, and nothing but the right thing," as La
Rochefoucauld defined it; a definition from which General Foy
drew a grand burst of eloquence--"The Charter, the whole Charter
(excepting, however, Article 14 and other peccadilloes!), and
nothing but the Charter."

"But don't let us talk politics any longer," as Lablache so
happily remarked to Giulia Grisi, who took it into her head one
fine day to criticize Don Juan!

Let us talk once more of Sedan, and let me again say to you how
happy I should be to be able one day to show those whose
acquaintance I have made through you in what grateful remembrance
I keep it.

Will you, Madame, give my best and most affectionate thanks to M.
Rondonneau, and accept my very respectful and devoted homage?

F. Liszt

Frankfurt, February 11th, 1846

P.S.--Being pressed for time, and owing, perhaps, to a stupid
feeling of delicacy, I came away without paying my doctor.

If you think well, would you be so kind as to credit me with a
napoleon and give it him from me: Madame Kreutzer will be my
banker in Paris. Adieu till we meet again.



48. To Monsieur Grillparzer

[Original, without date, in the possession of the Baroness
Mayrhofer-Grunbuhel at Klagenfurt. It might belong to the year
1846, during which Liszt arranged ten concerts in Vienna, from
March 1st to May 17th, and lived there during a great part of the
summer. From the same year dates a poem of homage to the
incomparable magician of the piano from the great poet. This
slight and unimportant letter is the only one of Liszt's found
among Grillparzer's effects.]

Will you do me the favor, my dear sir, to come and dine, without
ceremony, with several of your friends and admirers on Friday
next at 3 o'clock (at the "Stadt Frankfurt")? I should be very
much gratified at this kindness on your part. M. Bauernfeld leads
me to hope that you will not refuse me. Permit me to think that
he is not mistaken, and allow me to express once more my high
esteem and admiration.

F. Liszt

Tuesday Morning. [1846?]



49. To Franz von Schober, Coucillor of Legation in Weimar

Prague, April 11th, 1846. [According to the postal stamp.]

Dear Friend,

Your commissions have been attended to. The Wartburg has been
sent through Bauernfeld to the Allgemeine, and will, I trust, not
have to warten [Wait; a play on the words Wartburg and warten. A
treatise on the proposed completion of the Wartburg.] too long. I
have sent a second copy of this article to Paris, where it is to
appear in French garb. The report figures already in the Vienna
Theater-Zeitung, a paper with a wide circulation (and none the
better on that account!), where it makes quite a good appearance.

You would get the best connection with Frankfort through O. L. B.
Wolff (and through his medium, which is at any rate an honest and
proper one, with the German Frankfurtes Journal, or the
Oberpostamts-Zeitung, and even with the Didaskalia).

Talk this over with Wolff!

The same with the "illustrated" Leipzig Journal, in which the
article on the Wartburg should appear as soon as possible with an
illustration. Wolff can also arrange that, and in case it were
necessary, why, in Heaven's name, the sketch can be paid for. The
State of Weimar will not be ruined by it. Pereat Philistia and
its powerless foolery!!!

You have only to write a line to Brockhaus, and the columns of
the Deutsche Allgemeine stand open to you. Your personal and
official position in Weimar entitle you to this. Later on, in
passing through Leipzig, you can very easily consolidate this
connection. My stay in Hungary (Pest) will probably be limited to
the first half of May. I shall in any case see Schwab.
"Sardanapalus" [An opera planned by Liszt] (Italian) will most
probably be produced next season (May) in Vienna.

My stay in Weimar this summer...?? [The continuation of the
letter is missing.]

50. To Franz von Schober, Councillor of Legation in Weimar

Castle Gratz (at Prince Lichnowsky's)

May 28th, 1846

You are curious people at Weimar. You stride on towards a
possibility, and as soon as the thing is well in train you take
fright at it! However that may be, here are the instructions I
have received from Paris, and if you still wish an article on the
Wartburg to appear in a French paper you must conform to them,
and therefore send to my mother's address (20, Rue Louis le
Grand) the indispensable little notice.

The note from my Paris correspondent is as follows:--

"The article in its present form would not be suitable for
publication in any French paper; it will be necessary to write
another, explaining in a few words in what and how the Wartburg
is historically interesting to Europe, and why Europe ought to
interest herself in its restoration; then make a short
architectural description of the castle; but above all do not
forget that the article is to be read by Frenchmen, careless of
what is happening in Germany, and utterly ignorant of German
history and legend."

I continue:--

1st.--A short account, historical and legendary, of the Wartburg.

2nd.--How it has been allowed to fall into ruins.

3rd.--How it is to be restored.

Finally, plenty of facts and proper names, as M. de Talleyrand so
well said. Agreed then! As soon as you have got this sketched out
on the lines above mentioned (it will serve also for the
illustrated), send it to my mother by Weyland. My mother will
already know through me to whom she has to give it.

There is nothing to be done with Schwab. His "Delirium" (as I
call it) [It was a "Tellurium"] stood in my room for a week, and
we stood there not knowing what to make of it. But never and no
how could we bring that good Schwab to try to make us see any
basis or proof of his calculation. My opinion is that, in order
to take away the incognito from his discovery, he ought to send a
sample to the Vienna Academy, and two others to the Berlin and
Paris Academies, for trial and discussion. If I can help him in
this matter with letters to Humboldt and Arago I will do it right
gladly; but it is as plain as day that incompetent private
sympathies are of no import in such a sensitive discovery, and
therefore can do nothing. Meanwhile they have made a subscription
of eight hundred guldens in money, and have bought the machine
for the Pest Museum.

The relic with authentic verification is in the locked-up box at
Wolff's. Beg the Herr Librarian (it would really make me ill if
he is not appointed) to be so good as to find this relic--he will
have no difficulty in recognising it--and to send it me to
Haslinger's address, Graben, Vienna.

About my law-suit more anon in Weimar. Meanwhile thank my
excellent advocate (does he take snuff?) warmly, and beg him to
continue to keep me in his good graces.

If I know that it will be agreeable to his Grace [The former
Hereditary Grand Duke and present Grand Duke of Saxony.] to see
me in Weimar this summer, I shall come, in spite of the upset
which this journey will occasion to me. You know how I am,
heartily and personally, in his favor without any interest. I
should like also to tell him many things, and for this a stay
there in the summer with walks (which as a rule I can't abide, as
you know) would be pleasanter and more convenient.

My stay in Pest might bear serious fruit, were it not that the
Byronic element, which you combat in me, becomes ever more and
more predominant.

Farewell and work hard! I cannot arrange any meeting with you. I
am not my own master. In August I mean to make a peregrination to
Oedenburg, and thence to Leo and Augusz (the latter in Szegzard).
If I come to Weimar it will be in July.

Address always to Haslinger's.

Adieu, my dear excellent Schober. Remain as good to me as you are
dear!

Yours ever affectionately,

F. Liszt

Remember me most kindly to Ziegesar and Wolff.



51. To Alexander Seroff

[Russian musical critic and composer (1820-71)]

I am most grateful, my dear sir, for the kind remembrance you
keep of me since Petersburg, [Seroff was at that time in the
Crimea.] and I beg you to excuse me a thousand times for not
having replied sooner to your most charming and interesting
letter. As the musical opinions on which you are kind enough to
enlarge have for long years past been completely my own, it is
needless for me to discuss them today with you. There could, at
most, be only one point in which we must differ perceptibly, but
as that one point is my own simple individuality you will quite
understand that I feel much embarrassed with my subject, and that
I get out of it in the most ordinary manner, by thanking you very
sincerely for the too flattering opinion that you have formed
about me.

The Overture to "Coriolanus" is one of those masterpieces sui
generis, on a solid foundation, without antecedent or sequel in
analogous works. Does it remind you of Shakespeare's exposition
of the tragedy of the same name (Act i., Scene I)? It is the only
pendant to it that I know in the productions of human genius.
Read it again, and compare it as you are thinking of it. You are
worthy of those noble emotions of Art, by the fervent zeal with
which you worship its creed. Your piano score of the Overture to
Coriolanus does all honor to your artist conscience, and shows a
rare and patient intelligence which is indispensable to bringing
this task to a satisfactory end. If I should publish my version
of the same Overture (it must be among my papers in Germany) I
shall beg your permission to send you, through Prince Dolgorouki
[Prince Argontinski-Dolgorouki, a devoted lover of music. A
friend of Liszt's: had rich property in the Crimea.] (I can't
tell you half the good I think of him), an annotated copy, which
I will beg you to add to the insignificant autograph which you
really estimate too highly in attaching so affectionate a price
to it! Accept once more, my dear sir, my most affectionate
regards.

F. Liszt

Elisabethgrad, September 14th. 1847



52. To Carl Haslinger in Vienna

[The original (without address) in the possession of M. Alfred
Bovet at Valentigney.--There is no doubt that it was written to
the above music publisher (son of the well-known Tobias H.), who
was a pupil of Czerny, and at the same time a pianist and
composer (1816-68), and friend of Liszt]

Woronino, December 19th, 1847

My dear Karolus,

I am delighted to hear from you of the arrival of my box from
Galatz. Will you be so good as to send it off speedily and safely
to Weymar, so that I may find it when I arrive there (at the end
of this month)? and, as I am away, address it to M. le Baron de
Ziegesar, Chamberlain to H.R.H. the Hereditary Grand Duchess. Beg
Lowy to take the same opportunity of sending me the other boxes
belonging to me, which remained behind, whether with him or
elsewhere, to my Weymar address, unless he prefers to bring them
with him when he comes to see me.

In my last letter to my uncle I gave him a commission for you--
namely, to beg you to send me the Melodies and Rhapsodies
Hongroises complete; also the Schwanengesang and the Winterreise
(transcriptions), large size edition, made into a book. As you
have had some proofs made of my new Rhapsodies, make up a parcel
of it all, which will be an agreeable surprise to me on my
arrival.

I have worked pretty well these last two months, between two
cigars in the morning, at several things which do not displease
me; but I want to go back to Germany for some weeks in order to
put myself in tune with the general tone, and to recreate myself
by the sight and hearing of the wonderful things produced there
by...Upon my word I don't know by whom in particular, if not the
whole world in general.

If you want me to...[editor's note: impossible to decipher this
word in Liszt's original letter] anything for you, tell me, and
give me your ideas as to cut and taste.

Send me also the Schumann Opus (Kreisleriana, etc.) published by
yourself and Mechetti, together with Bach's six Pedal Fugues, in
which I wish to steep myself more fully. If the three Sonnets
(both voice and pianoforte editions) are already re-corrected,
kindly send me also an author's copy.

Adieu, dear Karolus. I commend my box to you, and commend myself
to you also

As your sincere friend,

F. Liszt

I need not say that of course you shall be repaid immediately for
sending the box--only hurry on the sending.

Best regards to your wife.

Lowy will tell you what I wish in regard to the credit for my
uncle Eduard.



53. To The Hochwohlgeboren Herr Baron von Dornis, Jena.

[Autograph in the possession of Herr C. Geibel, bookseller in
Leipzig.--The addressee was a sculptor.]

The confidence which you place in me, most esteemed Herr Baron,
is naturally very flattering; but in order to meet it according
to your wishes, I ought to have quite other means at my disposal
than those I have.

It would of course be very gratifying to me to possess one of
your valued works; yet I cannot help taking this opportunity of
remarking that, in view of the far too many busts, medallions,
statuettes, caricatures, medals, and portraits of all kinds
existing of my humble self, I long ago resolved not to give
occasion to any further multiplication of them.

Accept, esteemed Herr Baron, my expressions of great regret that
I cannot meet your kind proposal as you wish, and with the
assurance of my highest esteem,

Believe me yours very truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, March 6th, 1848



54. To Franz von Schober, Councillor of Legation at Weimar.

Castle Gratz, April 22nd, 1848.

My Dear and Honored Friend,

Your dear letter has brought me still nearer to you in the crisis
of the estro poetico, which the "Hungaria" [One of Liszt's
symphonic poems.] brought forth in me; and, thanks to this good
influence, I hope you will not be dissatisfied with the
composition.

Since my Beethoven Cantata I have written nothing so striking and
so spontaneous. One of these next days the instrumentation will
be completed, and when we have an opportunity we can have it
performed in Weimar in your honor and that of "Weimar's dead."
[Refers to a poem entitled "Weimar's Todten."]

Regardless of the blocking of the Russian frontier the Princess
Wittgenstein has safely passed through Radziwillow and Brody with
a special official outrider, and established herself at Castle
Gratz four days ago with her very charming and interesting
daughter. As it is still somewhat early for the German bath
season, I should like to persuade her to spend a couple of weeks
in Weimar before her Carlsbad "cure" (which, alas! is very
necessary for her). If my wishes should be successful I shall
arrive at Weimar between the 10th and 15th of May, in order to
prepare a suitable house or suite of apartments for the Princess.

I should be so pleased if you had an opportunity of getting to
know the P. W. She is without doubt an uncommonly and thoroughly
brilliant example of soul and mind and understanding (with
immense esprit as well).

It won't take you long to understand that henceforth I can dream
of very little personal ambition and future wrapped up in myself.
In political relations serfdom may have an end, but the dominion
of one soul over another in the region of spirit, is not that
indestructible?...You, my dear, honored friend, will assuredly
not answer this question with a negative.

In three weeks I hope we shall see each other again. Be so good
as to present my respects to our young Duke. What you tell me of
him pleases me. As soon as possible you shall hear more, and more
fully, from me, but do not write to me till then, as my address
meanwhile will be very uncertain. But continue to love me, as I
love and honor you.

F. Liszt



55. To Bernhard Cossmann in Baden-Baden

[The addressee became in 1850 solo-violoncellist and chamber
virtuoso in Weimar, and, later, in Moscow, and has been, since
1878, a Professor at the Hoch Conservatorium at Frankfort-on-
Maine.]

Circumstances! Conditions! My dear sir, these are now the very
ceremonious expressions and excuses of theatrical and directorial
beings. Unfortunately that is the case here too, although our
dear Weymar continuing free, not only from the real cholera, but
also from the slighter, but somewhat disagreeable, periodical
political cholerina, may peacefully dream by its elm,
yet...yet...I am sorry to say I am obliged not to answer your
kind letter affirmatively. Should circumstances and conditions,
however, turn out as I wish, then the Weymar band would consider
it an honor and a pleasure to possess you, my dear sir, as soon
as possible as one of its members.

Meanwhile accept the assurance of high regard of yours very
sincerely,

F. Liszt

Weymar, September 18th, 1848



56. To Carl Reinecke

[The present conductor of the Gewandhaus Concerts in Leipzig
(born 1824), and celebrated composer, pianist, and conductor]

Dear Sir,

Your kind letter has given me much pleasure, and the prospect
which you hold out to me, of seeing you soon again at Weymar, is
very agreeable to me. But come soon, and if possible for a few
days; I on my side shall certainly do all I can to prolong your
stay here and make it seem short to you. The promised Concerto
interests me keenly; it will be sure to give us ample material
for musical talks, and perhaps after many a talk we shall set to
work again and both write a new Concerto.

Would not the best results of criticism altogether be to incite
to new creation?

However that may be, do not put off too long taking up your
quarters at the Erbprinz, and rest assured that your visit is
much desired by me.

Yours very sincerely,

F. Liszt

Weymar, March 25th, 1849

My very best thanks for the splendid stuff for the coat, which
will give me quite an important, well-to-do, stately appearance!



57. To Count Sandor Teleky(?)

[The original (without address) in the possession of Count Albert
Amadei in Vienna.--The recipient of this letter was presumably
Count Teleky, a friend of Liszt's, who often accompanied the
latter on his triumphal European journeys, and who was himself an
active musician and literary man. He died in June, 1892.]

I have to give you threefold thanks, dear Count, and I feel that
I can undisguisedly do so! Your verses, in addition to your prose
and music, are three times welcome to me at Weymar, and the
Fantaisie dedicated to the royal hours of leisure of H.R.H. has
also charmed my leisure hours, as rare as they are modest.

If it would not be a trouble to you to come to Weymar, it would
be most kind of you to give us the pleasure of your company for a
day or two during our theatrical season, which concludes on the
15th of June. We could then chat and make music at our ease (with
or without damages, ad libitum), and if the fantasy took us, why
should we not go to some new Fantasie of leisure on the "Traum-
lied (dream song) of Tony, [No doubt meaning Baron Augusz,
Liszt's intimate friend at Szegzard, who died in 1878.] for
instance, at the hour when our peaceable inhabitants are
sleeping, dreaming, or thinking of nothing? We two should at
least want to make a pair.

May I beg you, dear Count, to recall me most humbly to the
indulgent remembrance of your charming and witty neighbor
[Nachbarin, feminine.] of the Erbprinz, and accept once more my
most cordial expressions for yourself?

F. Liszt

Weymar, May 5th, 1849



58. To Belloni(?)

[The letter written apparently to Belloni (who has already been
mentioned) was, like the present one, published by Wilhelm
Tappert, in a German translation and in an incomplete form, in
the Neue Musik-Zeitung (Cologne, Tonger) of October 1st, 1881.
The editor unfortunately could not obtain possession of it
complete and in the original. According to Tappert, a Belgian
musical paper pronounced it spurious, for reasons unknown to the
former.]

Weimar, May 14th, 1849

Dear B.,

Richard Wagner, a Dresden conductor, has been here since
yesterday. That is a man of wonderful genius, such a brain-
splitting genius indeed as beseems this country,--a new and
brilliant appearance in Art. Late events in Dresden have forced
him to a decision in the carrying out of which I am firmly
resolved to help him with all my might. When I have had a long
talk with him, you shall hear what we have devised and what must
also be thoroughly realized. In the first place we want to create
a success for a grand, heroic, enchanting musical work, the score
of which was completed a year ago. [Lohengrin.] Perhaps this
could be done in London? Chorley, [Chorley (1808-72) had
considerable influence in London as author, critic, and writer in
the Athenoeum.] for instance, might be very helpful to him in
this undertaking. If Wagner next winter could go to Paris backed
up by this success, the doors of the Opera would stand open to
him, no matter with what he might knock. It is happily not
necessary for me to go into long further discussions with you;
you understand, and must learn whether there is at this moment in
London an English theater (for the Italian Opera would not help
our friend!), and whether there is any prospect that a grand and
beautiful work from a master hand could have any success there.

[It was not in London, but in Weimar, as is well known, that the
first performance of "Lohengrin" took place (on August 28th,
1850). It was not until twenty-five years later that London made
acquaintance with Wagner's work on the stage, in the Italian
Opera and with Nicolini in the title-role; and the composer
himself heard it for the first time in Vienna on May 15th, 1861.]

Let me have an answer to this as quickly as possible. Later on--
that is, about the end of the month--Wagner will pass through
Paris. You will see him, and he will talk with you direct about
the tendency and expansion of the whole plan, and will be
heartily grateful for every kindness. Write soon and help me as
ever. It is a question of a noble end, toward the fulfillment of
which everything must tend.



59. To Carl Reinecke

Weymar, May 30th, 1849

Thank you much, dear M. Reinecke, for your welcome lines, and I
am glad to hope that you are happily arrived at Bremen, which
ought to be proud to possess you. The musical taste of that town
has always been held up to me, and I feel assured that the
inhabitants will have the good taste to appreciate you at your
full value, and that you will create a good and fine position for
yourself there without many obstacles.

Wagner, who will probably be obliged to lose his post at Dresden
in consequence of recent events, has been spending some days with
me here. Unluckily the news of the warrant against him arrived
the day of the performance of "Tannhauser", which prevented him
from being present. By this time he must have arrived in Paris,
where he will assuredly find a more favorable field for his
dramatic genius. With the aid of success he will end, as I have
often said, by being acknowledged as a great German composer in
Germany, on condition that his works are first heard in Paris or
London, following the example of Meyerbeer, to say nothing of
Gluck, Weber, and Handel!

Wagner expressed his regret to me that he had not been able to
send a better reply to the few lines of introduction which I had
given you for him. If ever you should be in the same place with
him do not fail to go and see him for me, and you may be sure of
being well received.

I am very much obliged to you for having spoken of me to Schumann
in such a manner as he at least ought to think of me. It
interested me much to make acquaintance with his composition of
the epilogue to "Faust". If he publishes it I shall try to have
it performed here, either at the Court or at the theater. In
passing lately through Frankfort I had a glance at the score of
"Genoveva", a performance of which had been announced to me at
Leipzig for the middle of May at latest. I am very much afraid
that Schumann will have a struggle with the difficulties and
delays which usually occur in trying to get any lofty work
performed. One would say that a bad fairy, in order sometimes to
counterbalance the works of genius, gives a magic success to the
most vulgar works and presides over the propagation of them,
favoring those whom inspiration has disdained, in order to push
its elect into the shade. That is no reason for discouragement,
for what matters the sooner or the later?

A thousand thanks for your exact and obliging packet of cigars.
If you should have the opportunity of sending me some samples of
a kind neither too thin nor too light, at about twenty to twenty-
five thalers the thousand, I shall willingly give an order for
some, which might be followed by a larger order.

Schuberth of Hamburg has just sent me your transcriptions of the
Schumann songs, which have given me real pleasure. If you publish
other things kindly let me know, for you know the sincere
interest I feel both in yourself and in your works,--an interest
I hope to have the opportunity of showing you more and more.

Meanwhile believe me yours affectionately,

F. Liszt

P.S.--I have not forgotten the little commission you gave me
relative to the "Fantasie-Stucke," and in a few weeks I will let
you have a copy of the new edition.



60. To Robert Schumann

[original in the Royal Library in Berlin]

Dear, esteemed Friend,

Before everything allow me to repeat to you what, next after
myself, you ought properly to have known best a long time ago--
namely, that no one honors and admires you more truly than my
humble self.

When opportunity occurs we can certainly have a friendly
discussion on the importance of a work, a man, even a town
indeed. For the present I am specially rejoicing in the prospect
of an early performance of your opera, and beg you most urgently
to let me know about it a few days beforehand, as I shall most
certainly come to Leipzig on that occasion, and then we can also
arrange for it to be studied in Weymar as soon as possible
afterwards. Perhaps you will also find time there to make me
acquainted with your "Faust." For this composition I am anxiously
waiting, and your resolution to give this work a greater length
and breadth appears to me most judicious. A great subject demands
generally a grand treatment. Although the Vision of Ezekiel
attains in its small dimensions the culminating point of
Raphael's greatness, yet he painted the School of Athens and the
entire frescoes in the Vatican.

"Manfred" is glorious, passionately attractive! Don't let
yourself be stopped in it; it will refresh you for your "Faust"--
and German art will point with pride to these twin productions.

Schuberth has sent me your "Album fur die Jugend" [Album for the
Young], which, to say the least, pleases me much. We have played
your splendid trio here several times, and in a pretty
satisfactory manner.

Wagner stayed some days here and at Eisenach. I am expecting
tidings from him daily from Paris, where he will assuredly
enlarge his reputation and career in a brilliant manner.

Would not your dear wife (to whom I beg to be kindly remembered)
like for once to make a romantic country excursion into the
Thuringer Wald [the Thuringian Forest]? The neighborhood is
charming, and it would give me great pleasure to see her again at
Weymar. A very good grand piano, and two or three intelligent
people who cling to you with true sympathy and esteem, await you
here.

But in any case there will appear in Leipzig as a claqueur
[clapper (to applaud)]

Your unalterably faithful friend,

F. Liszt Weymar, June 5th, 1849



61. To Robert Schumann

[original in the Royal Library in Berlin]

Best thanks, dear friend, for your kind information about the
performance of your "Faust" on the 28th of August.

To draw "das Ewig-Weibliche" rightly upwards ["Das Ewig-Weibliche
zicht uns hinan" ("The Eternal-Womanly draws us upwards").--
Goethe's "Faust"] by rehearsing the chorus and orchestra would
have afforded me great pleasure--and would probably have
succeeded. ["Gelangen" and "gelingen"--untranslatable little
pun.] But unfortunately obstacles which cannot be put aside have
intervened, and it will be utterly impossible for me to be
present at the Goethe Festival, as I have to betake myself in a
few days' time to an almost unknown but very efficacious bath
resort, and my doctor's orders are most strict that I must not
make any break in my "cure" during six weeks.

Notwithstanding this very deplorable contretemps for me, I
immediately informed Herr Councillor A. Scholl, as head of the
Goethe Committee, of your friendly proposal. Herewith his answer.

Allow me meanwhile to refresh your memory with an old French
proverb, "Ce qui est differe n'est pas perdu" [What is put off is
not given up], and give me the hope that soon after my return to
Weymar we may occupy ourselves seriously with the performance of
your "Faust."...

Hearty greetings to your dear wife, and believe me yours ever
most sincerely,

F. Liszt Weymar July 27th, 1849



62. To Robert Schumann

[autograph in the Royal Library in Berlin]

Dear Friend,

A summons which cannot be put off obliges me to be present at the
Goethe Festival here on the 28th of August, and to undertake the
direction of the musical part.

My first step is naturally to beg you to be so good as to send us
soon the score of your "Faust." If you should be able to spare
any of the voice or orchestral parts it would be a saving of time
to us; but if not we shall willingly submit to getting the parts
copied out as quickly as possible.

Kindly excuse me, dear friend, for the manner in which this
letter contradicts my last. I am very seldom guilty in such a
way, but in this case it does not lie in me, but in the
particulars of the matter itself.

For the rest I can assure you that your "Faust" shall be studied
with the utmost sympathy and accuracy by the orchestra and
chorus.--Herr Montag, the conductor of the Musik-Verein [Musical
Union], is taking up the chorus rehearsals with the greatest
readiness, and the rest will be my affair!--Only, dear friend,
don't delay sending the score and, if possible, the parts.

Sincerely yours,

F. Liszt

Weymar, August 1st, 1849

If your opera is given not later than the 1st of September I
shall certainly come to Leipzig.



63. To Carl Reinecke

Heligoland, September 7th, 1849

I am very sorry, my dear M. Reinecke, not to have met you at
Hamburg. It would have been such a real pleasure to me to make
acquaintance again with your Nonet, and it seems to me, judging
from its antecedents in the form of a Concerto, that by this
decisive transformation it ought to be a most honorably
successful work.

The "Myrthen Lieder" have never been sent to me. If you happen to
have a copy I should be very much obliged if you would send it me
to Schuberth's address.

With regard to the article which has appeared in "La Musique" I
have all sorts of excuses to make to you. The editors of the
paper thought fit, I do not know why, to give it a title which I
completely disavow, and which would certainly have never entered
into my mind. Moreover the printer has not been sparing of
changing several words and omitting others. Such are the
inevitable disadvantages of articles sent by post, and of which
the proof correctors cannot read the writing.

Anyhow, such as it is, I am glad to think that it cannot have
done you any harm in the mind of the French public, which has
customs and requirements that one must know well when one wishes
above all things to serve one's friends by being just to them.

Two numbers of your "Kleine Fantasie-Stucke" have been
distributed, up to about a thousand copies, with the paper "La
Musique," under the title of "Bluettes,"--a rather ill-chosen
title to my idea,--but, notwithstanding this title and the words
"adopted by F. Liszt," which the editors have further taken the
responsibility of putting, I am persuaded that this publication
is a good opening (in material) into the musical world of France,
and, looking at this result only, I am charmed to have been able
to contribute to it.

I shall return to Hamburg by the last boat from Heligoland on the
27th of September, in order to go to the baths of Eilsen, where I
expect to spend all the month of October. In November I shall be
back in Weymar for the rest of the winter.

If you would have the kindness to send to Schuberth's address a
case of 250 cigars of a pretty	 good size from the Bremen
Manufactory, I should be very much obliged to you, and would take
care to let you have the money (which in any case will not be a
very great sum) through Schuberth. The samples you sent me to
Weymar did reach me, but at a moment when I was extremely
occupied, so that I forgot them. Pray let me hear from you from
time to time, my dear M. Reinecke, and regard me as a friend who
is sincerely attached to you.

F. Liszt



64. To Breitkopf and Hartel

My dear Sir,

The arrival of your piano is one of the most pleasant events in
my peacefully studious life at Weymar, and I hasten to send you
my best thanks. Although, to tell the truth, I don't intend to do
much finger-work in the course of this year, yet it is no less
indispensable for me to have from time to time a perfect
instrument to play on. It is an old custom that I should regret
to change; and, as you kindly inquire after the ulterior
destination of this piano, allow me to tell you quite frankly
that I should like to keep it as long as you will leave it me for
my private, personal, and exclusive use at Weymar. In being
guilty of the so-called indiscretion I committed in claiming of
your courtesy the continued loan of one of your instruments I
thought that, under the friendly and neighborly relations which
are established between us (for a long time to come, I hope), it
would not be unwelcome to your house that one of its productions
should play the hospitable to me, whilst receiving my hospitality
at the same time. However retired and sheltered I live from stir
and movement at Weymar, yet from time to time it does happen that
I receive illustrious visitors, or curious and idle ones who come
and trouble one for this or that; henceforth I shall be delighted
to be able to do the honors of your piano both to the one and to
the other, and that will be, besides, the best proof of the
strength of the recommendation that I have had the pleasure of
making, for a long time past, of your manufactory. If however,
contrary to expectation, it should happen that you were in
pressing need of an instrument, very little played upon, the one
at Weymar would be at your disposal at any moment.

With regard to the Beethoven Lieder-Cyclus I have just received a
letter from Mr. Haslinger which I do not communicate in full
because of the personal details it contains, but this is the
passage, as laconic as it is satisfactory, with regard to this
publication:--

"I give you with pleasure my fullest consent to the edition of
the Beethoven Liederkreis by Breitkopf and Hartel."

So by tomorrow's post I shall have the honor of returning you the
proofs of the Lieder-Cyclus, which forms a continuation to the
Beethoven Lieder which you have already edited, and which you
will publish when you think well. .--.

With the proofs of my third piece on the "Prophete" I will also
send you all the pieces on it (piano and voice) which you have
been so good as to lend me, as well as the piano score, which I
don't require any more; for, unless I should have a success which
I dare not hope for (for these three pieces), and an express
order from you for another series of three pieces, which I could
easily extract from that vast score, I shall make this the end of
my work on the "Prophete." I come at last to a question, not at
all serious, but somewhat embarrassing for me,--that of fixing
the price of the manuscripts that you are so good as to print. I
confess that this is my "quart d'heure de Rabelais!" [The "quart
d'heure de Rabelais" refers to an incident in his life, and
means, in round terms, the moment of paying--i.e., any
disagreeable moment.] In order not to prolong it for you, allow
me to tell you without further ceremony that the whole of the six
works together, which are as follows:--

Lieder of Beethoven, Lieder-Cyclus of Beethoven, Consolations
(six numbers), Illustrations of the "Prophete" (three numbers),
published by your house, are worth, according to my estimation,
80-100 louis d'or.

If this price does not seem disproportionate to you, as I am
pleased to think it will not, and if it suits you to publish
other pieces of my composition, I shall have the pleasure of
sending you in the course of the year:--

1. A "Morceau de Concert"(for piano without orchestra), composed
for the competition of the Paris Conservatoire, 1850.

2. The complete series of the Beethoven Symphonies, of which you
have as yet only published the "Pastorale" and the "C minor." (In
the supposition that this publication will suit your house, I
will beg you to make the necessary arrangements from now onwards
with Mr. Haslinger; perhaps it will even be expedient that the
Symphony in A (7th), which Haslinger published several years ago
from the arrangement that I had made, should reappear in its
proper place in the complete series of the symphonies.)

3. Bach's six fugues (for organ with pedals), arranged for piano
alone.

In the middle of February I shall send you the complete
manuscript of my little volume on Chopin, and a little later in
the same month we shall set ourselves to work here on the study
of Schubert's opera, the performance of which will take place in
the first days of April. If, as I do not doubt, the performance
of the "Prophete" draws you to Dresden, I shall certainly have
the pleasure of seeing you there, for I have just begged Mr. de
Luttichau to be so good as to reserve me a place for that
evening, and I shall not fail to be there. Meanwhile, my dear M.
Hartel, believe me,

Yours sincerely and affectionately,

F. Liszt Weymar, January 14th, 1850

On the occasion of Schubert's opera I shall probably set to work
on the arrangement of the symphony, of which, meanwhile, I hold
the score.--Compliments and best regards to Madame Hartel, which
I know you will be kind enough to convey to her.



65. To Breitkopf and Hartel

February 24th, 1850

My dear Sir,

.--. With regard to Schubert's opera ["Alfonso and Estrella." It
was given for the first time on June 24th, 1854, the birthday of
the Grand Duke (but not without some necessary cuts)], a recent
experience has entirely confirmed me in the opinion I had already
formed at the time of the first rehearsals with piano which we
had last spring--namely, that Schubert's delicate and interesting
score is, as it were, crushed by the heaviness of the libretto!
Nevertheless, I do not despair of giving this work with success;
but this success appears possible only on one condition--namely,
to adapt another libretto to Schubert's music. And since, by a
special fate, of which I have no reason to complain, a part of
Schubert's heritage has become my domain, I shall willingly busy
myself, as time and place offer, with the preparatory work and
the mise-en-scene of this opera, for which it would be
advantageous, in my opinion, if it could be first produced in
Paris. Belloni informs me that it will be pretty easy for you to
ensure me the entire rights of this work for France. If such be
the case I would take suitable measures for the success of this
work, on occasion of which I should naturally have to make a
considerable outlay of time and money, so that I should not be
disposed to run any risk without the guarantee of proportionate
receipts from the sale of the work in France, and author's rights
which I shall have to give up to the new poet.

This matter, however, is not at all pressing, for I shall only be
able to set to work in the matter in the course of next year
(1851); but I shall be very much obliged to you not to lose sight
of it, and to put me in possession, when you are able, of the
cession of the French and English rights, in consideration of
which I will set to work and try to get the best possible chances
of success.

Many thanks to you for so kindly sending the score of Schubert's
Symphony. That of the "Prophete" not being wanted by me any
longer, I enclose it in the parcel of proofs and manuscripts
which I beg you to undertake to send off to Mr. Belloni's address
in Paris.

On Easter Monday we shall give the first performance of "Comte
Ory." [By Rossini] Would you not feel tempted to come and hear
it? It is a charming work, brimming over and sparkling with
melody like champagne, so that at the last rehearsal I christened
it the "Champagner-Oper" ["Champagne Opera."] and in order to
justify this title our amiable Intendant proposes to regale the
whole theater with a few dozens of champagne in the second act,
in order to spirit up the chorus.

"Qu'il avait de bon vin le Seigneur chatelain!"

Cordial remembrances from yours affectionately,

F. Liszt

I should be glad for the publication of No. 3 of the pieces on
the "Prophete," and the "Consolations," not to be put off long.



66. To Professor J. C. Lobe in Leipzig

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.--
The addressee (1797-1881), a writer on music (formerly Court
Musician at Weimar), lived from 1846 in Leipzig.]

My esteemed Friend,

It is with much pleasure I send you the good news that H.R.H. the
Grand Duchess has graciously accepted the dedication of your
"System of Composition." [Published in 1850.] Our gracious
protector [feminine] started yesterday for The Hague, and will
not be back till towards the middle of August.

I hope you will be sure not to fail us at the Herder Festival in
Weymar (August 25th), as well as at the "Lohengrin" evening
(28th); we have been already waiting for you so long!

Between the performances of the "Messiah" and "Lohengrin" (to say
nothing of my "Prometheus" choruses) will also be the best
opportunity for you to present your work in person to the Grand
Duchess.

Remember me kindly to your dear family, and remain my friend as I
am yours

Most truly,

F. Liszt Weymar, July 10th, 1850



67. To Friedrich Wieck in Dresden

[published in the "Neue Musik-Zeitung" in 1888.--The addressee
was the well-known pianoforte master, the father of Clara
Schumann (1785-1873).]

Esteemed Sir,

It will be a real pleasure to me to welcome you here, and your
daughter [Marie Wieck, Hohenzollern Court Pianist in Dresden],
whom I have already heard so highly commended. Weymar, as you
know it of old, offers no brilliant resources for concerts; but
you may rest assured beforehand that I, on my side, shall do
everything that is possible in this connection to make things
easy for you. To me it seems especially desirable that you should
wait until the return of H.R.H. the Grand Duchess, which will be
within a fortnight; should you, however, be tied by time and come
here before that date, I bid you heartily welcome, dear sir, and
place myself at your disposal.

Yours truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, August 4th, 1850



68. To Simon Lowy in Vienna.

[Autograph in the Royal Library in Vienna. Printed in a German
translation, La Mara, "Letters of Musicians during Five
Centuries," vol. ii.]

Weymar, August 5th, 1850

Dear Friend,

My cousin Edward writes me word that you are a little piqued at
my long silence,--and I, shall I tell you frankly? am a little
piqued that you have not yet thought of coming to see me, and of
transferring your bath season to some place in the neighborhood
of Weymar. Will you make peace with me?--

Accept as a friend the invitation I give you in all friendship.
Arrive at Weymar the 23rd of August, and stay till the 30th at
least. You will find several of your friends here,--Dingelstedt,
Jules Janin, Meyerbeer (?), etc.,--and you will hear, firstly, on
the evening of the 24th, a good hour and a half of music that I
have just composed (Overture and Choruses) for the "Prometheus"
of Herder, which will be given as a Festal Introduction to the
inauguration of his statue in bronze by Schaller of Munich, which
is fixed for the 25th; secondly, on the evening of the 25th,
Handel's "Messiah"; thirdly, on the 28th, the anniversary of
Goethe's birth, a remarkably successful Prologue made, ad hoc,
for that day by Dingelstedt, followed by the first performance of
Wagner's "Lohengrin." This work, which you certainly will not
have the opportunity of hearing so soon anywhere else, on account
of the special position of the composer, and the many
difficulties in its performance, is to my idea a chef-d'oeuvre of
the highest and most ideal kind! Not one of the operas which has
entertained the theaters for the past twenty years can give any
approximate idea of it.

So don't be piqued any longer, or rather, dear friend, be piqued
with curiosity to be one of the first to hear such a beautiful
thing. Sulk with Vienna, for a few weeks at least, instead of
sulking with me, which is all nonsense, and believe me always and
ever your most sincerely attached, but very much occupied, very
much pre-occupied, and oftentimes very absorbed friend,

F. Liszt



69. To Mathilde Graumann

[Given by the addressee, subsequently celebrated as Mathilde
Marchesi, teacher of singing, in "Aus meinem Leben" (Bagel,
Dusseldorf)]

Mademoiselle,

Here is the letter for the Grand Master de Luttichau, which M. de
Ziegesar has just written in your honor and glory, with all the
good grace and obligingness which he keeps for you.

As regards introductions to Berlin there is a provoking
contretemps for you. H.R.H. the Princess of Prussia will pass the
winter at Coblentz.

Meyerbeer, to whom I beg you to remember me respectfully, will
certainly be your best patron with the Court, and I have no doubt
that he will receive you with sympathy and interest.

I will also send you, in the course of the week, a letter for the
Chamberlain of H.R.H. Princess Charles of Prussia, which Ziegesar
has promised me.

As to our concert, fixed for the 19th (Saturday next), I assure
you frankly that I should not have ventured to speak to you of
it, and that I hardly venture now.

The receipts are to be devoted to some pension fund, always so
low in funds in our countries; consequently I am not in a
position to propose any suitable terms. Now as, on the occasion
of the performance of the "Messiah," you have already been only
too kind to us, it really would not do for me to return to the
charge, unless you were to authorize me to do so quite directly
and positively, by writing me an epistolary masterpiece somewhat
as follows:--

"I will sing in a perfunctory manner, but with the best
intentions and the best will in the world, the air from...(here
follows the name of the piece), and the duet from "Semairamide"
with Milde or Mademoiselle Aghte, next Saturday; and in order not
to put anybody out, I will arrive at the exact time of the
rehearsal, on Friday at four o'clock."

If any such idea as this should come into your head please let me
know (by telegram if need be), so that by Monday night, or, at
latest, Tuesday midday, I may be able to make the programme,
which must appear by Wednesday morning at latest.

With homage and friendship,

F. Liszt

Friday, October 11th, 1850  Be so kind as to give a friendly
shake of the hand from me to Joachim; recommend him not to be too
late in arriving at Weimar, where we expect him for the evening
of the 14th.

P.S.--At the moment when I was going to send my letter to the
post the following lines reached me. I send them to you intact,
and you will see by them that you could not have friends better
disposed towards you than those of Weimar.

Please do not fail to write direct to Ziegesar to thank him for
his kindness, of which you have been sensibly informed by me
(without alluding to his letter, which you will return to me),
and at the same time say exactly which week you will arrive in
Berlin; unless, however, you prefer to come and tell him this
verbally on Friday or Saturday evening at the Altenburg, after
you have again chanted to us and enchanted us. [Literal
translation, on account of play on words.]



70. To Carl Reinecke

Dear Reinecke,

Here are the letters for Berlioz and Erard that I offered you. I
add a few lines for the young Prince Eugene Wittgenstein, with
whom you will easily have pleasant relations; he is an
impassioned musician, and is remarkably gifted with artistic
qualities. In addition, I have had a long talk about your stay in
Paris, and the success which you ought to obtain, with Belloni,
who came to me for a few days. You will find him thoroughly well
disposed to help you by all the means in his power, and I would
persuade you to have complete confidence in him. Go and look for
him as soon as ever you arrive, and ask him for all the practical
information you require. Make your visit to Messrs. Escudier with
him. (N.B.--He will explain why I have not given you a letter for
Brandus.)

The greater number of your pieces have hitherto been printed
exclusively by Escudier, and in my opinion you would do well to
keep well with them in consequence. In your position it is not at
all necessary to make advances to everybody--and, moreover, it is
the very way to have no one for yourself. Look, observe, and keep
an intelligent reserve, and don't cast yourself, German-wise,
precipitately into politeness and inopportune modesty.

In one of your leisure hours Belloni will take you to Madame
Patersi, who is entrusted with the education of my two daughters,
for whom I beg a corner of your kind attention. Play them your
Polonaise and Ballade, and let me hear, later on, how their very
small knowledge of music is going on. Madame Patersi, as I told
you, will have much pleasure in introducing you to her former
pupil, Madame de Foudras, whose salon enjoys an excellent
reputation.

Need I renew to you here the request of my four cardinal points?-
-No, I am sure I need not!--Accept then, dear Reinecke, all my
heartiest wishes for this new year, as well as for your journey
to Paris. Let me hear of you through Belloni, if you have not
time to write to me yourself, and depend in all circumstances on
the very cordial attachment of

Yours sincerely and affectionately,

F. Liszt January 1st, 1851  My return to Weymar is unfortunately
again postponed for twenty days, by the doctor's orders, to which
I submit, although not personal to myself. [They referred to
Princess Wittgenstein, who was ill.]



71. To Leon Escudier, Music Publisher in Paris

[autograph in the possession of M. Arthur Pougin in Paris.--The
addressee was at that time the manager of the periodical "La
France Musicale," in which Liszt's Memoir of Chopin first
appeared in detached numbers (beginning from February 9th,
1851).]

Weymar, February 4th, 1851

My dear Sir,

The proofs of the two first articles of my biographical study of
Chopin ought to have reached you some days ago, for I corrected
and forwarded them immediately on my return to Weymar. You will
also find an indication of how I want them divided, which I shall
be obliged if you will follow. Both on account of the reverence
of my friendship for Chopin, and my desire to devote the utmost
care to my present and subsequent publications, it is important
to me that this work should make its appearance as free from
defects as possible, and I earnestly request you to give most
conscientious attention to the revision of the last proofs. Any
alterations, corrections, and additions must be made entirely in
accordance with my directions, so that the definitive
publication, which it would be opportune to begin at once in your
paper, may satisfy us and rightly fulfill the aim we have in
view. If therefore your time is too fully occupied to give you
the leisure to undertake these corrections, will you be so good
as to beg M. Chavee [an eminent Belgian linguist, at that time a
collaborator on the "France Musicale"] (as you propose) to do me
this service with the scrupulous exactitude which is requisite,
for which I shall take the opportunity of expressing to him
personally my sincere thanks?

In the matter of exactitude you would have some right to reproach
me (I take it kindly of you to have passed it over in silence,
but I have nevertheless deserved your reproaches, apparently at
least) with regard to Schubert's opera ["Alfonso and Estrella,"
which Liszt produced at Weimar in 1854]. I hope Belloni has
explained to you that the only person whom I can employ to make a
clear copy of this long work has been overwhelmed, up to now,
with pressing work. It will therefore be about three months
before I can send you the three acts, the fate of which I leave
in your hands, and for which, by the aid of an interesting
libretto, we may predict good luck at the Opera Comique. I will
return to this matter more in detail when I am in the position to
send you the piano score (with voice), to which, as yet, I have
only been able to give some too rare leisure hours, but which I
promise you I will not put off to the Greek Calends!

As far as regards my opera, allow me to thank you for the
interest you are ready to take in it. For my own part I have made
up my mind to work actively at the score. I expect to have a copy
of it ready by the end of next autumn. We will then see what can
be done with it, and talk it over.

Meanwhile accept, my dear sir, my best	thanks and compliments.

F. Liszt

The proofs of the third and fourth articles on Chopin will be
posted to you tomorrow.

Has Belloni spoken to you about F. David's "Salon Musical"
(twenty-four pieces of two pages each, very elegantly written and
easy to play)?--I can warmly recommend this work to you, both
from the point of view of art, and of a profitable, and perhaps
even popular, success. [Presumably Ferdinand David's "Bunte
Reihe," Op. 30, which Liszt transcribed for piano alone.]



72. To Carl Reinecke

My dear Mr. Reinecke,

I am still writing to you from Eilsen; your two kind and charming
letters found me here and have given me a very real pleasure. You
may rest quite assured during your life of the sincere and
affectionate interest I feel for you, an interest of which I
shall always be happy to give you the best proofs as far as it
depends on me.

Madame Patersi is loud in her praises both of your talent and of
yourself,--and I thank you sincerely for having so well fulfilled
my wishes with regard to the lessons you have been so kind as to
give to Blandine and Cosima. [Liszt's daughters. Blandine (died
1872) became afterwards the wife of Emile Ollivier; Cosima is the
widow of Wagner.] Who knows? Perhaps later on these girls will do
you honor in a small way by coming out advantageously with some
new composition by their master Reinecke, to the great applause
of Papa!

Hiller shows tact and taste in making sure of you as a coadjutor
at the Rhenish Conservatorium, which seems to be taking a turn
not to be leaky everywhere. Cologne has much good,
notwithstanding its objectionable nooks. Until now the musical
ground there has been choked up rather than truly cultivated!
People are somewhat coarse and stupidly vain there; I know not
what stir of bales, current calculations, and cargoes incessantly
comes across the things of Art. It would be unjust, however, not
to recognize. the vital energy, the wealth of vigor, the
praiseworthy activity of this country, in which a group of
intelligent men, nobly devoted to their task, may bring about
fine results, more easily than elsewhere.

At any rate I approve of what you have done, and compliment you
on having accepted Hiller's offer, [Namely, a position as
Professor at the Conservatorium of Cologne, which Reinecke
occupied from 1851 to 1854.] and shall have pleasure in sending
to your new address some of my latest publications, which will
appear towards the end of May (amongst others a new edition,
completely altered and well corrected, I hope, of my twelve great
Etudes, the Concerto without orchestra dedicated to Henselt, and
the six "Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses"). I have also
written a very melancholy Polonaise, and some other trifles which
you will perhaps like to look over.

Let me hear from you soon, my dear Mr. Reinecke, and depend,
under all circumstances, on the faithful attachment of

Yours affectionately and sincerely,

F. Liszt

Eilsen, March 19th, 1851



73. To Dr. Eduard Liszt in Vienna

[An uncle of Liszt's (that is, the younger half-brother of his
father), although Liszt was accustomed to call him his cousin: a
noble and very important man, who became Solicitor-General in
Vienna, where he died February 8th, 1879. Franz Liszt clung to
him with ardor, as his dearest relation and friend, and in March,
1867, made over to him the hereditary knighthood.]

[Weimar, 1851]

Dear, excellent Eduard ,

It will be a real joy to me to take part in your joy, and I thank
you very cordially for having thought first of me as godfather to
your child. I accept that office very willingly, and make sincere
wishes that this son may be worthy of his father, and may help to
increase the honor of our name. Alas! it has been only too much
neglected and even compromised by the bulk of our relations, who
have been wanting either in noble sentiments, or in intelligence
and talent--some even in education and the first necessary
elements--to give a superior impulse to their career and to
deserve serious consideration and esteem. Thank God it is
otherwise with you, and I cannot tell you what a sweet and noble
satisfaction I derive from this. The intelligent constancy which
you have used to conquer the numerous difficulties which impeded
your way; the solid instruction you have acquired; the
distinguished talents you have developed; the healthy and wise
morality that you have ever kept in your actions and speech; your
sincere filial piety towards your mother; your attachment,
resulting from reflection and conviction, to the precepts of the
Catholic religion; these twenty years, in fine, that you have
passed and employed so honorably,--all this is worthy of the
truest praises, and gives you the fullest right to the regard and
esteem of honest and sensible people. So I am pleased to see that
you are beginning to reap the fruits of your care, and the
distinguished post to which you have just been appointed [He had
been made Assistant Public Prosecutor in 1850.] seems to justify
the hopes that you confided to me formerly, and which I treated,
probably wrongly, as so much naive ambition. At the point at
which you have arrived it would be entirely out of place for me
to poke advice and counsel out of season at you. Permit me, for
the sake of the lively friendship I bear you, and the ties of
relationship which bind us together, to make this one and only
recommendation, "Remain true to yourself!" Remain true to all you
feel to be highest, noblest, most right and most pure in your
heart! Don't ever try to be or to become something (unless there
were opportune and immediate occasion for it), but work
diligently and with perseverance to be and to become more and
more some one.--Since the difficult and formidable duty has
fallen upon you of judging men, and of pronouncing on their
innocence or guilt, prove well your heart and soul, that you may
not be found guilty yourself at the tribunal of the Supreme
Judge,--and under grave and decisive circumstances learn not to
give ear to any one but your conscience and your God!--

Austria has shown lately a remarkable activity, and a military
and diplomatic energy the service of which we cannot deny for the
re-establishment of her credit and political position. Certainly
by the prevision of a great number of exclusive Austrians--a
prevision which, moreover, I have never shared--it is probable
that the Russian alliance will have been a stroke of diplomatic
genius very favorable to the Vienna Cabinet, and that, in
consequence of this close alliance, the monarchical status quo
will be consolidated in Europe, notwithstanding all the
democratic ferments and dissolving elements which are evidently,
whatever people may say, at their period of ebb. I do not
precisely believe in a state of tranquility and indefinite peace,
but simply in a certain amount of order in the midst of disorder
for a round dozen of years, the main spring of this order being
naturally at Petersburg. From the day in which a Russian
battalion had crossed the Austrian frontier my opinion was fixed,
and when my friend Mr. de Ziegesar came and told me the news I
immediately said to him, "Germany will become Russian, and for
the great majority of Germans there is no sort of hesitation as
to the only side it remains to them to take."

The Princess having very obligingly taken the trouble to tell you
my wishes with regard to my money matters, I need not trouble you
further with them, and confine myself to thanking you very
sincerely for your exactness, and for the discerning integrity
with which you watch over the sums confided to your care. May
events grant that they may prosper, and that they may not become
indispensable to us very soon.--

Before the end of the winter I will send you a parcel of music
(of my publications), which will be a distraction for your
leisure hours. I endeavour to work the utmost and the best that I
can, though sometimes a sort of despairing fear comes over me at
the thought of the task I should like to fulfill, for which at
least ten years more of perfect health of body and mind will be
necessary to me.

Give my tender respects to Madame Liszt; you two form henceforth
my father's entire family; and believe in the lively and
unalterable friendship of

Your truly devoted,

F. Liszt



74. To Count Casimir Esterhazy

[Autograph (without address) in the possession of Herr Albert
Cohn, bookseller in Berlin.--The addressee was presumably Count
Esterhazy, whose guest Liszt was in Presburg in 1840.]

Let me thank you very sincerely for your kind remembrance, dear
friend, and let me also tell you how much I regret that my
journey to Hohlstein cannot come to pass during your short stay
there. But as by chance you already find yourself in Germany,
will you not push on some fine day as far as Weymar?--I should
have very great pleasure in seeing you there and in receiving
you--not in the manorial manner in which you received me at
Presburg, but very cordially and modestly as a conductor, kept by
I know not what strange chance of fate at a respectful distance
from storms and shipwrecks!--

For three weeks past a very sad circumstance has obliged me to
keep at Eilsen, where I had already passed some months of last
winter. The reigning Prince is, as you have perhaps forgotten,
the present proprietor of one of your estates,--the Prince of
Schaumburg-Lippe. If by chance you are owing him a debt of
politeness, the opportunity of putting yourself straight would be
capital for me. Nevertheless I dare not count too much on the
attractions of the grandeur and charms of Buckeburg! and I must
doubtless resign myself to saying a longer farewell to you.

Let me know by Lowy of Vienna where I shall address to you some
pieces in print which you can look over at any leisure hour, and
which I shall be delighted to offer you. I will add to them later
the complete collection of my "Hungarian Rhapsodies," which will
now form a volume of nearly two hundred pages, of which I shall
prepare a second edition next winter. Hearty and affectionate
remembrances from

Yours ever,

F. Liszt

Eilsen, June 6th, 1851



75. To Theodor Uhlig, Chamber Musician in Dresden

[Autograph in the possession of Herr Hermann Scholtz, Chamber
virtuoso in Dresden.--The addressee, who was an intimate friend
of Wagner's (see "Wagner's Letters to Uhlig, Fischer, Heine"--
London: H. Grevel & Co., 1890), gained for himself a lasting name
by his pianoforte score of Lohengrin. He died January, 1853.]

The perusal of your most kind and judicious article in Brendel's
Musical Gazette on the "Goethe Foundation" [By Liszt, 1850. See
"Gesammelte Schriften," vol. v.] confirms me in the belief that I
could not fail to be understood by you in full intelligence of
the cause. Allow me then, my dear Mr. Uhlig, to thank you very
cordially for this new proof of your obligingness and of your
sympathy--in French, as this language becomes more and more
familiar and easy to me, whereas I am obliged to make an effort
to patch up more or less unskillfully my very halting German
syntax.

The very lucid explanation that you have made of my pamphlet, as
well as the lines with which you have prefaced and followed it,
have given me a real satisfaction, and one which I did not expect
to receive through that paper, which, if I am not mistaken, had
hitherto shown itself somewhat hostile to me personally, and to
the ideas which they do me the small honor to imagine I possess.
This impression has been still further increased in me by reading
Mr. Brendel's following article on R. Wagner, which seems to me a
rather arranged transition between the former point of view of
the Leipzig school or pupils and the real point of view of
things. The quotation Brendel makes of Stahr's article on the
fifth performance of "Lohengrin" at Weymar, evidently indicates a
conversion more thought than expressed on the part of the former,
and at the performance of "Siegfried" I am persuaded that Leipzig
will not be at all behindhand, as at "Lohengrin."

I do not know whether Mr. Wolf (the designer) has had the
pleasure of meeting you yet at Dresden; I had commissioned him to
make my excuses to you for the delay in sending the manuscript of
Wiland. Unfortunately it is impossible for me to think of
returning to Weymar before the end of July, and the manuscript is
locked up among other papers which I could not put into strange
hands. Believe me that I am really vexed at these delays, the
cause of which is so sad for me.

If by chance you should repass by Cologne and Minden, it would be
very nice if you could stay a day at Buckeburg (Eilsen), where I
am obliged to stay till the 15th of July. I have not much
pleasure to offer you, but in return we can talk there at our
ease of the St. Graal...

My pamphlet "Lohengrin and Tannhauser" will appear in French at
Brockhaus' towards the end of July. It will have at least the
same circulation as the "Goethe Foundation," and I will send you
by right one of the first copies.

Kind regards to Wagner, about whom I have written a great deal
lately without writing to him; and believe me yours very
sincerely,

F. Liszt

Eilsen (Buckeburg), June 25th, 1851.



76. To Rosalie Spohr in Brunswick

[niece of Louis Spohr, and an incomparable harpist,--"The most
ideal representative of her beautiful instrument," according to
Bulow; after her marriage with Count Sauerma she retired from
public life and now lives in Berlin.]

After your amiable authorization to do so, Mademoiselle, I have
had your concert announced at Eilsen for Tuesday next, July 8th,
and you may rest assured that the best society of Buckeburg and
of the Badegaste [visitors who go for the baths] will be present.

The price of the tickets has been fixed for 1 florin, which is
the maximum customary in this country. With regard to the
programme, I await your reply, in which I shall be glad if you
will tell me the four or five pieces you will choose, amongst
which will be, I hope,	Parish Alvars' Fantaisie on motives from
"Oberon" and the "Danse des Fees."

A distinguished amateur, Monsieur Lindemann of Hanover, has
promised me to play one or two violoncello solos, and the rest of
the programme will be easily made.

As to your route, you had better take the Schnellzug [express]
next Monday, which starts about 11 in the morning from Brunswick,
and brings you to Buckeburg in less than three hours. From here
it will only take you thirty-five minutes to get to Eilsen. The
most simple plan for you would be not to write to me beforehand
even, but to improvise your programme according to your fancy
here. Only let me beg you not to arrive later than Monday
evening, so that the public may be free from anxiety, and to set
my responsibility perfectly at rest in a corner of your harp-
case.

May I beg you, Mademoiselle, to remember me affectionately to
your father? and be assured of the pleasure it will be to see
you, hear you, and admire you anew, to your sincere and devoted
servant,

F. Liszt

Eilsen, July 3rd, 1851

I beg you once more not to be later than next Monday, July 7th,
in coming to Eilsen.



77. To Rosalie Spohr

I am deeply sensible of your charming lines, Mademoiselle, the
impression of which is the completion for me of the harmonious
vibrations of your beautiful talent,--vibrations which are still
resounding in the woods and in your auditors at Eilsen. While
expressing to you my sincere thanks I should reproach myself were
I to forget the piquant and substantial present that your father
has sent me, and I beg you to tell him that we have done all
honor to the savory product of Brunswick industry. The Buckeburg
industry having a certain reputation in petto in the matter of
chocolate, the Princess, who sends her best regards to you and
your family, wishes me to send you a sample, which you will
receive by tomorrow's post. The chocolate, in its quality of a
sedative tonic, will, moreover, not come amiss in the intervals
of your study.

May I beg you, Mademoiselle, to give my affectionate compliments
to your parents as well as to the clever drawing-historiographer
[The younger sister of the addressee, Ida Spohr, at that time
sixteen years old, who was a most gifted creature, both in
poetry, painting, and music. She died young, at the age of
twenty-four] whom you know? and receive once more the best wishes
of yours most truly,

F. Liszt

Eilsen, July 22nd, 1851



78. To Breitkopf and Hartel

Allow me, my dear Mr. Hartel, to make known to you, as a kind of
curiosity, a very long piece I composed last winter on the
chorale "Ad Nos" from the "Prophete." If by chance you should
think well to publish this long Prelude, followed by an equally
long Fugue, I could not be otherwise than much obliged to you;
and I shall take advantage of the circumstance to acquit myself,
in all reverence and friendship, of a dedication to Meyerbeer,
which it has long been my intention to do; and it was only for
want of finding among my works something which would suit him in
some respect, that I have been obliged to defer it till now. I
should be delighted therefore if you would help me to fill up
this gap in the recognition I owe to Meyerbeer; but I dare not
press you too much for fear you may think that my Fugue has more
advantage in remaining unknown to the public in so far that it is
in manuscript, than if it had to submit to the same fate after
having been published by your care.

In accordance with your obliging promise, I waited from week to
week for the preface that Mr. Wagner has added to his three opera
poems. I should be glad to know how soon you expect to bring them
out, and beg you to be so good as to send me immediately three
copies.

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. It
is a very eminent work, and perfectly successful in its actual
form. While complimenting you sincerely upon it, I must also add
my thanks that you have joined my name to it.

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 acknow

Showing first 200,000 characters. Full text: gutenberg.org/ebooks/3689