The most agreeable for both, as well as the more entertaining for
your readers. Ergo, put Pohl's article into your next number.
Raff can then spring his mines in honor of the Minnegesang when
he pleases. This may make a quite pleasant and harmless joke -
perchance a crown of lilies will mingle with it in the end and
shape the affair into a University concern...Your paper, in any
case, will not suffer. Therefore set to work and go through with
it!
In Bussenius [Bussenius, under the pseudonym W. Neumann,
published the set of biographies "The Composers of Recent Times"
(Balde, Cassel).] you have rightly found the man of whom I
previously foretold you somewhat. I think that by the New Year he
will settle at Gotha, and carry on there with his firm (Balde)
greater literary and publishing undertakings. Meanwhile don't
speak of this. When the outlook is more certain, and things are
favorably settled, I will tell you more.
I gladly accept your friendly invitation to write an article for
your New Year's number. In the course of the next few days you
will receive the article on Clara Schumann, and shortly
afterwards the second half of "Robert Schumann."
Cornelius has been rather unwell for several days, which has
delayed the translation. [Peter Cornelius translated the articles
written in French by Liszt - with the collaboration of the
Princess Wittgenstein - for the Neue Zeitschrift; those which are
published in vols. iii. to v. of the "Gesammelte Schriften."]
Will you, dear friend, be so good as to give my special thanks to
Herr Klitzsch for his article in today's number? By the favorable
manner in which he enters into the intentions of my Mass, and the
artistic sympathy he shows for my endeavour, he has given me a
very great pleasure. Probably a good opportunity will present
itself, later on, for me to undertake a further work in the
religious style, as I feel and conceive it, by the composition of
a "Missa Solemnis" for mixed chorus and orchestra...For the
present I cannot, however, occupy myself with this; but
aufgeschoben soll nicht aufgehoben heissen. [A German proverb -
"Put off is not given up."]
When I come to Leipzig I shall have the pleasure of calling on
Klitzsch and giving him my best thanks in person. If you think I
ought to write him a few lines before then, let me know.
Litolff was here several days, and we have come nearer together
both from a friendly and an artistic standpoint. His fourth
Concerto (Conzert-Symphonie) is a marked advance on the previous
ones. He played this, as well as the third Concerto, the day
before yesterday, in a truly masterly and electric, living
manner. Frau Dr. Steche will have told you about it.
