Volume I Part 19 (1/2)
Today only a few lines of thanks for your last letter, which has rejoiced me unspeakably I showed it to every one who is in the least near to me, and told them, ”Behold, I have such a friend!”
The full and unconditional approbation hich you receive my new plan is the best proof toTo be understood by you, and in the peculiar circu your personal wish, can, on account of its unmeasured boldness, be understood by almost no one but him who is impelled to it by inward necessity--this, my dearest Liszt, makes me as happy as if esar also I ask you to express my most cordial thanks for the very kind manner in which he has received and replied to my last coation, and I can only wish that I ratitude
As far as I a from the finally somewhat powerful effect of et everything out of the way, so that the whole poe of su Siegfried” only to look at? The copy which you have has been made specially by h it is not written as beautifully asI must ask you to do for ive it totiitive state, I begin to be a little settled in st ood portrait, I should like to have that too You need not be asha on my wall; at present I have there only Beethoven, besides the Nibelung design by Cornelius
”Oper und Dra been published, as you probably know
The three operatic poems, with a communication to ether with the pianoforte score of ”Lohengrin” Please order a copy at once; you are nearer to it than I I bet that the preface will interest you very much The conclusion I have recently altered a little, but in such a ed
Farewell, dear friend, and let ain hear from you
Your
RICHARD WAGNER
ZURICH (ZELTWEG), December 14th, 1851
70
DEAREST FRIEND,
I ahted and enlivened by your splendid work How can we thank you for it? How can I ratitude? B and Br have written to you that the sixth perfor, a satisfactory one What I wrote to you at once after the very feeble and faulty first performance has actually happened The coether with those of the public, have increased with every performance; and I feel convinced that the seventh performance on Saturday, January 24th, will be even more successful Next season we shall without delay attack your ”Flying Dutchman,” which, for local reasons explained to B, I did not propose this winter We shall then probably be able to add and iard to the scenery, etc, of your ”Lohengrin” Youyour works at Weymar more and more up to the mark, in the saets over divers economic considerations, and effects the necessary improvements and additions in chorus, orchestra, scenery, etc Excusethan at writing about it
Cordial thanks for your splendid gift of ”Siegfried” I took the liberty of arranging a recital of it for the Hereditary Grand Duke and his wife at Zigesar's Zigesar, who had previously read your poem, is in a state of enthusiasm about it, and the small circle of about fifteen persons who was selected exclusively fronerites--the real cre to execute the work musically, what proportions the movements will have, etc
Go at it as soon as possible Perhaps you will be able to coards the perfore it so your orders and indications With all the genius of your fancy, you are so eminently experienced and practical that you will of a certainty write nothing unpractical Difficulties are necessary--in order to be overcome If, as I do not suppose, you should not be back in Ger, and shall only trouble you to give ramme of all that you desire and expect in the perforantic work To that I shall strictly adhere Persons and things shall be provided so your Nibelung trilogy more quietly from a stall or a seat in the balcony, and I invite you for four consecutive days to supper after the performance at the Hotel de Saxe, Dresden, or the Hotel de Russie, Berlin, in case you are able to eat and drink after all your exertions
Of the conclusion of the preface to the three operatic poe It has hit me in my heart of hearts, and I have shed a h H; the alvanoplastic copies in Germany
The Princess has written a feords to you after the perforrin,” which I enclose
Farewell, and live as tranquilly as possible,of you
Your
F LISZT
WEYMAR, January 15th, 1852