259 To the Music Publisher, C.F. Kahnt
Don’t be alarmed, dear sir! Once more a manuscript of mine is coming to you. “Ich glaube, die Wellen verschlingen, Am Ende Schiffer und…Kahnt!” [A quotation from Heine’s poem “Die Loreley,” set to music by Liszt:
“I fear me the waters engulfing
Are drawing the boatman beneath,—
’Tis Loreley, with voice enchanting,
Who lures him on to death!
Liszt makes a play on the words Kahn (a boat) and Kahnt (the publisher).]
The pianoforte transcription of the “Loreley” has cost me more trouble than I expected. But I hope therefore that it has not succeeded badly. Let a clean and correct copy be made of it by a reliable musician (Corno perhaps?) [August Horn in Leipzig, whom Liszt held up as being “very exact and reliable.”] before you give the little piece into the engraver’s hands. N.B.—The words are to be engraved with it, as in the Vienna edition of my transcription of the Schubert Songs.
As regards the publishing of the scores of my three songs— “Loreley,” “Mignon,” and the “Zigeuner”—I leave them entirely to your pleasure or the reverse, as also the size of the edition (whether larger or smaller—but in any case, not quite full size)..—.
I shall be staying at Lowenberg up to the 8th September.
I beg that you will send the final proof of “Loreley” to Herr von Bulow—and also the second edition of “Mignon” in time, which is to be engraved from the score left behind by Brendel—for voice and pianoforte accompaniment (without instrumentation) in the first place—as you were kind enough to promise me.
With best greetings, your obliged
F. Liszt
Lowenberg, August 27th, 1861