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.
