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.
