182 To Eduard Liszt
Dearest Eduard,
I have been thinking over the matter of supporting the voices by some wind instruments and brass in my Mass for men’s voices, without being able to make up my mind to write out this accompaniment. I ought properly to hear the Vienna chorus in order to hit the right proportion, which is very various, according to the size of the church, and also the class of instruments, and the less or greater ability of the musicians. It would be very agreeable to me if Herbeck, who appears to take an interest in my work, would take the decision upon himself according to what he thinks best, and would either keep in the printed organ accompaniment, or write a small additional score as support to the voices. In the latter case I think that horns, clarinets, oboes, and bassoons cannot be dispensed with, and that probably trombones would also make a good effect in the Kyrie and Credo.
Remember me most kindly to Herbeck, and tell him my idea as well as my request. In the studying of the Mass he will best ascertain which passages most require a supplement-accompaniment.
Owing to my long-continued illness, which obliges me for the most part to keep my bed, I have not yet been able to hear his Quartet, which he was so good as to send me; but I shall shortly give it over to our excellent Quartet Society (Singer, Cossmann, Stor, Walbruhl) for a performance.
By today’s post I send you an alteration in the Agnus Dei of my Gran Mass, which I beg you to hand to the compositor. The voice parts remain as before, but in the pauses I make the first subject come in again in the basses, which makes the movement more completely one whole. The compositor must work by this proof for the whole Agnus Dei, and only revert to the general score where the “Dona nobis pacem” (Allegro moderato) comes in.
Wagner’s letter has been published in a separate form, and you will receive several copies of it, as I believe you take interest in it, and will make a good use of it.
The Princess has been a prisoner to her bed for more than three weeks, and is suffering from acute rheumatism. Princess Marie has also been poorly, so that the whole house has been very dismal. The last few days I have pulled myself together, and have had my choruses to Herder’s “Prometheus” performed, which have unexpectedly made a very good impression, and were received with unusual sympathy. In the course of the summer I shall have the whole work printed. The eight choruses, together with the [spoken] text, which has been skillfully compiled after Herder and Aeschylus [By Richard Pohl], and the preliminary Symphonic Poem (No. 5 of those published by Hartel), take about an hour and a half in performance. If I am not mistaken, the work will, later on, approve itself in larger concerts.
About the 15th May I shall be going to Aix-la-Chapelle, to conduct the Musical Festival there at Whitsuntide. That will be another good opportunity for many papers to abuse me, and to let off their bile!—If the programme which I shall put forward is realized at the September Festival you must come here and hear it with me.
My mother writes from Paris that Blandine has been living with the Countess d’A. since the 20th of this month. Cosima’s marriage with H. von Bulow will probably take place before September. About Daniel the Princess will write to you fully when she is better.
God be with you and yours. Yours from my heart,
F. Liszt
Weimar, April 27th, 1857