My best greetings to your wife.
259. To the music publisher, C.F. Kahnt
Don't be alarmed, dear sir! Once more a manuscript of mine is
coming to you. "Ich glaube, die Wellen verschlingen, Am Ende
Schiffer und...Kahnt!" [A quotation from Heine's poem "Die
Loreley," set to music by Liszt:
"I fear me the waters engulfing
Are drawing the boatman beneath, -
'Tis Loreley, with voice enchanting,
Who lures him on to death!
Liszt makes a play on the words Kahn (a boat) and Kahnt (the
publisher).]
The pianoforte transcription of the "Loreley" has cost me more
trouble than I expected. But I hope therefore that it has not
succeeded badly. Let a clean and correct copy be made of it by a
reliable musician (Corno perhaps?) [August Horn in Leipzig, whom
Liszt held up as being "very exact and reliable."] before you
give the little piece into the engraver's hands. N.B. - The words
are to be engraved with it, as in the Vienna edition of my
transcription of the Schubert Songs.
As regards the publishing of the scores of my three songs -
"Loreley," "Mignon," and the "Zigeuner" - I leave them entirely to
your pleasure or the reverse, as also the size of the edition
(whether larger or smaller - but in any case, not quite full
size).. - .
I shall be staying at Lowenberg up to the 8th September.
I beg that you will send the final proof of "Loreley" to Herr von
Bulow - and also the second edition of "Mignon" in time, which is
to be engraved from the score left behind by Brendel - for voice
and pianoforte accompaniment (without instrumentation) in the
first place - as you were kind enough to promise me.
