Preface — To the German Edition
Die vorliegenden Briefe einer Amerikanerin in die Heimath, die im Original bereits in zweiter Auflage erschienen sind, werden, so hoffen wir, auch dem deutschen Leser nicht minderes Vergnügen, nicht geringere Anregung als dem amerikanischen gewähren, da sie in unmittelbarer Frische niedergeschrieben, ein lebendiges Bild von den Beziehungen der Verfasserin zu den hervorragendsten musikalischen Persönlichkeiten, wie Liszt, v. Bülow, Tausig, Joachim u. s. w. bieten.
Wir geben das Buch in wortgetreuer Uebersetzung und haben es nur um diejenigen Briefe gekürzt, die in Deutschland Allzubekanntes behandeln. Hingegen glaubten wir die Stellen dem Leser nicht vorenthalten zu dürfen, welche zwar nicht musikalischen Inhalts sind, uns aber zeigen, wie manche unserer deutschen Zu-oder Mißstände von Amerikanern beurtheilt werden.
Robert Oppenheim, Publisher.
Berlin, 1882.
| CONTENTS. | |
|---|---|
| IN TAUSIG’S CONSERVATORY. | |
| CHAPTER I. | |
| PAGE. | |
| A German Interior in Berlin. A German Party. Joachim. Tausig’s Conservatory. | 13 |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Clara Schumann and Joachim. The American Minister’s. The Museum. The Conservatory. Opera. Tausig. Christmas. | 25 |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Tausig and Rubinstein. Tausig’s Pupils. The Bancrofts. A German Radical. | 37 |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Opera and Oratorio in Berlin. A Typical American. Prussian Rudeness. Conservatory Changes. Easter. | 51 |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| The Thier-Garten. A Military Review. Charlottenburg. Tausig. Berlin in Summer. Potsdam and Babelsberg. | 64 |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| The War. German Meals. Women and Men. Tausig’s Teaching. Tausig Abandons his Conservatory. Dresden. Kullak. | 79 |
| WITH KULLAK. | |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Moving. German Houses and Dinners. The War. Capture of Napoleon. Kullak’s and Tausig’s Teaching. Joachim. Wagner. Tausig’s Playing. German Etiquette. | 95 |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Concerts. Joachim again. The Siege of Paris. Peace Declared. Wagner. A Woman’s Symphony. Ovation to Wagner in Berlin. | 111 |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Difficulties of the Piano. Triumphal Entry of the Troops. Paris. | 123 |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| A Rhine Journey. Frankfort. Mainz. Sail down the Rhine. Cologne. Bonn. The Seven Mountains. Worms. Spire. Heidelberg. Tausig’s Death. | 131 |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Eisenach. Gotha. Erfurt. Andernach. Weimar. Tausig. | 145 |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Dinner-Party and Reception at Mr. Bancroft’s. Audition at Tausig’s House. A German Christmas. The Joachims. | 157 |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| Visit to Dresden. The Wiecks. Von Bülow. A Child Prodigy. Grantzow, the Dancer. | 163 |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| A Rising Organist. Kullak. Von Bülow’s Playing. A Princely Funeral. Wilhelmi’s Concert. A Court Beauty. | 174 |
| CHAPTER XV. | |
| The Boston Fire. Aggravations of Music Study. Kullak. Sherwood. Hoch Schule. A Brilliant American. German Dancing. | 182 |
| CHAPTER XVI. | |
| A German Professor. Sherwood. The Baroness von S. Von Bülow. A German Party. Joachim. The Baroness at Home. | 192 |
| WITH LISZT. | |
| CHAPTER XVII. | |
| Arrives in Weimar. Liszt at the Theatre.—At a Party. At his own House. | 205 |
| CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| Liszt’s Drawing-room. An Artist’s Walking Party. Liszt’s Teaching. | 218 |
| CHAPTER XIX. | |
| Liszt’s Expression in Playing. Liszt on Conservatories. Ordeal of Liszt’s Lessons. Liszt’s Kindness. | 227 |
| CHAPTER XX. | |
| Liszt’s Compositions. His Playing and Teaching of Beethoven. His “Effects” in Piano-playing. Excursion to Jena. A New Music Master. | 235 |
| CHAPTER XXI. | |
| Liszt’s Playing. Tausig. Excursion to Sondershausen. | 248 |
| CHAPTER XXII. | |
| Farewell to Liszt! German Conservatories and their Methods. Berlin again. Liszt and Joachim. | 263 |
| CHAPTER XXIII. | |
| Kullak as a Teacher. The Four Great Virtuosi, Clara Schumann, Rubinstein, Von Bülow and Tausig. | 272 |
| WITH DEPPE. | |
| CHAPTER XXIV. | |
| Gives up Kullak for Deppe. Deppe’s Method in Touch and in Scale-playing. Fräulein Steiniger. Pedal Study. | 283 |
| CHAPTER XXV. | |
| Chord-playing. Deppe no mere “Pedagogue.” Sherwood. Mozart’s Concertos. Practicing Slowly. The Opera Ball. | 299 |
| CHAPTER XXVI. | |
| A Set of Beethoven Variations. Fannie Warburg. Deppe’s Inventions. His Room. His Afternoon Coffee. Pyrmont. | 311 |
| CHAPTER XXVII. | |
| The Brussels Conservatoire. Steiniger. Excursion to Kleinberg. Giving a Concert. Fräulein Timm. | 328 |
| CHAPTER XXVIII. | |
| Music in Hamburg. Studying Chamber Music. Absence of Religion in Germany. South Americans. Deppe Once More. A Concert Debut. Postscript. | 331 |