227 To Dr. Franz Brendel
Dear Friend,
It is of great consequence to me not to delay any longer the publication of my “Gesammelte Lieder.” Forgive me, therefore, if today I am somewhat troublesome to your friendship..—.
It seems to me that the best plan would be if, before you confer with Herr Schulze, you would first have a consultation with Klemm, and come to a thorough understanding on the matter with him. [Liszt evidently wished to have the songs engraved first at his own cost, and to let Klemm undertake the sale on commission.] Beg him also, in my name, to show a friendly sympathy to the work. The songs can hold their ground in their present form (regardless of the criticism of our choking and quarrelling opponents which will infallibly follow!); and if a few singers could be found, not of the raw and superficial kind, who would boldly venture to sing songs by the notorious non-composer, Franz Liszt, they would probably find a public for them.
I think I told you that a couple of them made a furore in certain salons which are very much set against me, as posthumous songs of Schubert, and were encored!—Of course I have begged the singer to carry the joke on further.
Klemm need not therefore be in the least ashamed of undertaking the publication of the work in a friendly spirit.
Best thanks beforehand for your kind trouble in this matter—and ever faithfully yours,
F. Liszt
Weymar, December 6th, 1859
P.S.—I have just received your letter. The two K.’s—Kompel and Kahnt—shall be made most welcome. Pohl had already told me of Kahnt’s coming; it will be a pleasure to me not to verlangweilen [To make the time hang heavily] his visit here (if that word is not quite German, still I consider it is comprehensible!). Julius Schuberth had also the intention of rescuing something [Namely, Liszt’s composition] from Kuehn. Your idea of giving Bronsart the conductorship of the Euterpe Concerts is a most excellent one. I suppose the letter which I wrote about this to P. Fischer (to your address) came to hand (?). The day before yesterday I also let Bronsart know that possibly some favorable openings might occur for him in Leipzig, and recommended him not to neglect them. Bronsart would be just in his right post in Leipzig, and I do not doubt that he would in every respect maintain it in the most honorable manner. In addition to this, it would be especially agreeable to me to begin constant intercourse with him as my next neighbor. He is now working at his Opera, and sent me a little while ago the libretto which he has himself composed to it, and which seems to me very successful in the most important scenes, as well as in the dialogue. [It was afterwards composed by his wife (“King Hiarne”).]
Address your letters to “Herr von Bronsart, c/o Herr General von Bronsart, Commandant of Dantzig, Dantzig.”
In consequence of the performance of my Mass in Munich (on the King’s birthday, at the end of November), which, as I am told on many sides, was well given and—which seems wonderful—was acknowledged by many musicians there to be a work of importance— so that even Lachner spoke favorably of it—the “Allgemezne” Zeftung again breathes forth poison and gall (supplement of 3rd December), without forgetting therewith the “Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik.” I should like to take the opportunity of making this pack of critics, such as W., B., G., B., and whatever all the assistants’ assistants are called, understand the following thoughts as Xenie:—[Epigram]
“Ye break your staff over me, but your staff has indeed long since become rotten from all the dust and dirt that stick to it, and it scarcely serves any longer to cut the air!”
Tell this idea to Lohmann—perhaps he may be inspired with a happy rhyme for it.
I cannot say anything better to you about Pohl than what you tell me.—
Herewith, for your private delectation, is a copy of some lines from my letter to Herr Gustav Eggers (in Berlin), brother of the well-known Art-journal Eggers, now very much concerned in the Prussian paper. Gustav E. was here at the September Festival (1857), when he heard the Faust Symphony, and sent me lately a very pretty book of songs, begging me to recommend them to Hartel.—Send me the little paper back soon.