Possibly we might on this occasion venture on the
Symphonic Poem No. I "Ce qu'on entered sur la Montagne" - the
chorus "An die Kunstler," and the "Faust Symphony?" - The
respected medical men would thus take the initiative in the new
musical pathology! -
For the Tonkunstler-Versammlung, etc. [Meeting of Musicians], in
Leipzig at the beginning of June Dr. Brendel is expecting you,
and I rejoice at the thought of meeting you again there. If the
affair is not too much hampered in its natural course by local
miseries and malevolence, it may do much for the bettering of our
suffering musical position. In any case we will not fail in doing
our part towards it.
With highest esteem, yours most truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, March 10th, 1859
210. To Capellmeister Max Seifriz in Lowenberg
[Autograph in the possession of Herr Alexander Meyer Cohn in
Berlin.]
Dear Friend,
I feel the most heartfelt sympathy with you in your sad days at
Lowenberg, and trust with you that they will not last much
longer. When there is a suitable opportunity, express to our
Prince my heartfelt, grateful devotion. Then tell me quite openly
and candidly whether my visit to Lowenberg, in the course of next
month, will be welcome and will make no trouble. I had planned to
spend the Easter week there, and only await preliminary tidings
from you to announce myself by letter to His Highness. Dr.
Brendel wished at the same time to pay his respects to the
Prince. The press of work upon him just now especially will only
allow him to stay a couple of days with you; but I for my part,
if I am assured that my visit will not come inopportunely, should
like to prolong my stay a little. Perhaps, as you are so kindly
intending to invite Damrosch, it might be arranged for him to
come at the same time. It would be a great pleasure to me to see
the valiant friend and comrade in Art again with you.
I give you once more my best thanks for the kind attention which
you have caused to be bestowed on my works. The many attacks on
me which I have to bear enhance still more the value I place on
the sympathy and concurrence of my friends.
By today's post I send you the scores of the Dante Symphony, the
"Ideale," and the Goethe March, which have just come out - the
former merely to read through (as a memento of the Dresden
performance, which served as a rehearsal to me, after which
several alterations in the score occurred to me)-but the other
two might not be wholly unsuitable for a performance with your
gallant orchestra, to whom I beg you to remember me most kindly.
May the things be welcome to you, dear friend, as a token of the
very high esteem of
Yours in all friendship,
F. Liszt
Weymar, March 22nd, 1859
211. To Eduard Liszt
Warmest thanks for all you have done, said, and felt, dearest
Eduard. I hope that I am only going a few steps in front of you,
and that in a couple of years the same distinction will fall to
your lot, in which I shall then have the same pleasure as is
granted to you today. [This would be the bestowing of the title
of nobility on Liszt, who, however, as is well known, never used
it.]
Herewith my letter of thanks to S. E. von Bach. [Austrian
Minister of the Interior.] Perhaps you would think it well to
deliver the letter yourself. Take the opportunity of remembering
me to Wurzbach, who has always been most friendly to me. I will
write to Daniel one of these next days. The Princess goes
tomorrow to Munich, where Kaulbach is painting the portrait of
Princess Marie. On the 30th of this month I again make a visit to
Prince Hohenzollern at Lowenberg (Shlesia), and shall then soon
take up my quarters at Leipzig, where we shall have to live
through some rather warm days on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd June. For
the rest there are good prospects for us there; and, even if
dishonesty and malevolence make the utmost exertions (as we may
expect they will do), this can do us but very little injury
(where it does not help us).
You have possibly already heard that the Schiller Festival in
Weymar has been frustrated by the imprudence of Dingelstedt. In
spite of that I am composing the Introduction to the Festival by
Halm, which may find its use here or elsewhere. With heartfelt
thanks and greetings, your
F. Liszt
[Weimar,] April 5th, 1859
212. To N. N., Music-Director at Weimer
[Autograph in the possession of Herr Gille, Privy Councillor in
Jena.]
Dear Herr Music-Director,
I learn today by chance of the measures which have been taken a
posteriori against the concert conducted and arranged by Herr
Gotze [Carl Gotze, chorister, afterwards music-director.] and
sincerely regret that a Weimar music-director and Weymar Court
musician could deem such a thing suitable.
I, with my exceptional and only occasional dealings with the
orchestra here, can only draw your attention to the fact of how
deplorably such occurrences run counter to a nice feeling of
decorum, and still more to the nobler artist feeling.
With compliments,
F. Liszt
April 17th, 1859
213. To Peter Cornelius In Vienna Weymar
May 23rd, 1859
Dearest Friend,
I learn with joy from your letter (which has just crossed mine
from Lowenberg), that things are going well and comfortably with
you in Vienna. It is easy to see that your stay there, when once
you have made a firm footing, will become very advantageous - and
whatever I can do towards helping this you may be sure I shall
do. Herewith a few lines for Herr von Villers, Secretary of the
Saxon Embassy (where you will learn his address). He is one of my
older friends who has remained very dear to me.
