125 To Dr. Franz Brendel
[Beginning of November, 1854]
Dear Friend,
Pohl’s article on Lieder und Spruche, etc. (Songs and Sayings), appears to me to be of general interest to the public—therefore I begged you to put it in your paper.
Touching what you have reserved of Raff’s, I am quite of opinion that you should also make room for him in his critical examinations of the Minnesingers. [The German poet-singers of the Middle Ages.] The ground is an interesting and attractive one— and if a rather warm discussion should ensue later on between Raff and Pohl, the field of the Minnegesang (love-song) is by far 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. Perhaps in your next number you will put in a short appreciative notice of Litolfff’s appearance here.
Rubinstein left for Leipzig at midday today. The performance of his Symphony [“Ocean”; given for the first time, November 16th, 1854, at the Gewandhaus Concert for the Poor.] is fixed for the 16th at the Gewandhaus, and later on he will also appear as a pianist. Hartel, Hofmeister, and Schott have already taken about thirty of his manuscripts, which is about the smaller half of his portfolio!—
About the Berlin “Tannhauser” affair I cannot for the moment say more than that I have always made Wagner feel perfectly at liberty to put me on one side, and to manage the matter himself, according to his own wishes, without me. But so long as he gives me his confidence as a friend, it is my duty to serve him as a discreet friend—and this I cannot do otherwise than by giving no ear to transactions of that kind, and letting people gossip as much as they like. Don’t say anything more about it for the present in your paper. The matter goes deeper than many inexperienced friends of Wagner’s imagine. I will explain it to you more clearly by word of mouth. Meanwhile I remain passive— for which Wagner will thank me later on.
Yours most truly,
F. Liszt
N. B.—Pohl wishes his Minnesinger article not to be signed with the name Hoplit, but with the letters R. P., when it appears in your paper.