218 To Louis Koehler
Dear Friend,
Your letter was a real joy to me, for which I thank you heartily. You are far too honorable, brave, and admirable a musician for our paths to remain long sundered. For the very reason that people cannot (as you so wittily remark) immediately “label and catalogue me correctly and place me in an already existing drawer,” I am in hopes that my efforts and working will eventually prove in accordance with the spirit of the time, and will fructify. I promise you also that I am not wanting in pains and labour in honor of my friends. But I certainly cannot recognize weaklings and cowards as such. It is only with high-minded, brave, and trusty comrades that we move forwards, no matter though the number remain small. In matters of intelligence the majority always follows the minority, when the latter is sufficiently strong to hold its own.—Welcome, therefore, dear friend, welcome most truly. If there is still a lot of scandal which we have to bear quietly and without mortification, we will by no means let ourselves be confounded by it!
I have written at once to Hartel to send you the arrangements for two pianofortes of the Symphonic Poems that you wished for. But there is a better way for the scores than that of a bookseller. Fraulein Ingeborg Stark is going to St. Petersburg on the 20th of this month, and will stay a day in Konigsberg. She will bring you the Dante Symphony, etc., and if there should be an opportunity she will play the things through with Bronsart (who is also going to Konigsberg at the same time). I have grown very much attached to Fraulein Stark, as hers is a very particularly gifted artistic nature. The same will happen to you if you hear her striking Sonata. Ingeborg composes all sorts of Fugues, Toccatas, etc., into the bargain. I remarked to her lately that she did not look a bit like that. “Well, I am quite satisfied not to have a fugue countenance,” was her striking answer.
The Pohls are both still in Baden-Baden (whence I hear the excerpts from Berlioz’ manuscript opera Les Troyens [The Trojans] spoken of with enthusiasm). Madame Viardot sang a grand scena and a duet from it in the concert conducted by Berlioz—and Fraulein Emilie Genast is staying a couple of weeks longer with her sister Frau Raff in Wiesbaden. On her return I will give her your greetings, and Emilie will certainly be glad to make known the concert song which you mention to her. In her performance a beautiful and sympathetic “melody of speech” is reflected. As I write this word I can’t help at the same time wishing that you may find in my “Gesammelte Lieder” something that appeals to your feelings, which you have so cleverly represented in the “melody of speech.” You will receive a proof-copy of the six numbers at the same time as the Dante Symphony. I wanted to dedicate the last number, “Ich mochte hingehn” (poem by Herwegh), specially to you, and when next you have occasion to come to Weymar, I will look for the manuscript for you on which your name is put. But as I have left out all other dedications in this complete edition, I propose to dedicate something else to you later—probably some bigger and longer work.
A Ballade of Draeseke’s—“Koenig Helge”—has just appeared, which pleases me extremely. You must look closely into this wonderful Opus 1.
In conclusion one more request, dear friend. Do me the kindness to be perfectly free and open and regardless of consequences in the discussion of my works. Do not imagine that the slightest vanity comes over me or impels me. I have long ago done with all that sort of thing. So long as you allow that I possess the necessary musical equipments to create freely in Art, as I gather from your letter that you do, I can but be grateful to you for all else, even were it severe blame. I have often expressed my opinion to my friends that, even if all my compositions failed to succeed (which I neither affirm nor deny), they would not on that account be quite without their use, owing to the stir and impetus which they would give to the further development of Art. This consciousness so completely satisfies me that I can consistently persevere and go on composing.
With all respect and attachment I remain,
Yours most sincerely,
F. Liszt
Weymar, September 3rd, 1859
If the Koenigsberg Academy does not take alarm at my name (as has indeed been the case in other places, owing to the foolish prattle of the critics), they might try the “Prometheus” choruses there by-and-by. They are to be given almost directly (at the end of October) at Zwickau, and probably later on in Leipzig, where I shall then also have them published.
In the matters of the prize-subject we will wait and see what comes. You very justly remark that it hinges now upon enharmony.
It is a pity that you do not bring something. Perhaps you will still find time to do so.