162 To Eduard Liszt
[Pest,] Friday, September 5th, 1856
Dearest Eduard,
Yesterday’s performance of my Mass was quite according to my intentions, and was more successful and effective by far than all the preceding ones. Without exaggeration and with all Christian modesty I can assure you that many tears were shed, and that the very numerous audience (the church of the Stadtpfarrei [I.e., the parish church] was thronged), as well as the performers, had raised themselves, body and soul, into my contemplation of the sacred mysteries of the Mass…and everything was but a humble prayer to the Almighty and to the Redeemer!—I thought of you in my heart of hearts, and sought for you—for you are indeed so very near and dear to me in spirit!—Next Monday, the 8th September, at the consecration of the Hermine-Kapelle (which the Cardinal Prince Primate of Hungary will consecrate), my Mass for four men’s voices will be sung. Winterberger will accompany it on a Physharmonica of the organ genus. On the same evening (Monday) the concert for the benefit of the Pension Fund will take place at the theater: Singer and Pruckner will play at it, and two of my Symphonic Poems—“Les Preludes” and “Hungaria” (Nos. 3 and 9)- -will be given.
On the 14th September at latest I shall get to Vienna, and I will write to Haslinger more definitely about it. Meanwhile will you please tell Haslinger, as I cannot write to him until the concert in the Hungarian theater is over.
.—. I expect to leave here before the end of next week.
God be with you and with your
F. L.
At the rehearsal this morning I was told that you have got such an excellent article on the Mass in the Wanderer. I suppose you sent the number to Weymar? If possible let me have one here also.