195 To Louis Koehler
My very dear friend,
A few days ago I received a letter from Koenigsberg, signed by a gentleman unknown to me. By chance this letter has got lost, and I cannot myself remember the exact name. But, as your name was mentioned in it, I beg you to be so good as to let Herr * * * know that I do not possess the arrangement of the second movement of my Faust Symphony made by Zellner in Vienna for pianoforte, violin, harp, and harmonium, and that consequently I cannot hand it over to him. Besides this, I do consider such a fragmentary performance of this work of mine, which stands in such bad credit with the critics, as rather unsuitable, and would not advise any concert-giver, and still less any concert-directors, to smuggle into a programme my name so challenged as a composer. How long this curious comedy of criticism will last I am unable to determine; anyhow I am resolved not to trouble my head about the cry of murder which is raised against me, and to go on my way in a consistent and undeterred fashion. Whether I shall be answerable for the scandal, or whether my opponents will entangle themselves in the scandal, will appear later. Meanwhile they can hiss and scribble as much as they please. In the course of the summer my “Faust” and “Dante” Symphonies will be published by Hartel, together with a couple of new Symphonic Poems. The “Faust Symphony” is dedicated to Berlioz, and the “Dante” to Wagner. I am sending them to you, dear friend, with the two pianoforte arrangements, with the risk that nothing will please you in them, which however will not prevent us from being good friends. You may rest assured that I shall always be grateful to you for the friendliness you have shown me in past years, and that I would never attempt to compromise you with my future. For the latter I alone can and must care.
Please then make my best excuses to Herr * * *, whose kind letter has, alas! cost me much useless searching, and continue your personal well-wishing to your ever faithful friend (though fallen in musical esteem and under your ban),
F. Liszt
Weymar, February 1st, 1858