Volume I Part 20 (1/2)

73

DEAREST FRIEND,

I send you enclosed an explanation of my ”Tannhauser” overture, written for our public here, which, I have reason to hope, will soon hear a very good perforramme, I read over once ain to give way to the uth has had the saard to your work Only he can fail to understand your style who does not understand the music either; to see how you express precisely and keenly in words the feelings which ht who hi words for them This perusal, which really filled me with astonishment, has once o, that you ht become your own poet You have the necessary qualities as much as any one Write French or Italian verse; in that direction you reat revolution

Let me hear about this froives you news occasionally; he writes to me more frequently now, and I always reply to him That B's article about the S has caused such a disastrous sensation ast you confirms my opinion of the deep decay of our artistic and public conditions

One thing grieves me: that the Goethe foundation had applied to the S; and one thing pleases , and that a complete breach with the spurious element was thus effected

My letter to you about the Goethe foundation will, with your pers are said in it which had to be said at this moment, and which, if I had wished to say theain fro rows a little warun

Let ain

Wholly thine,

RICHARD WAGNER

ZURICH, March 4th, 1852

74

How are you,since I heard from you The rehearsals of Cellini, many visits from abroad, several pieces and transcriptions for the pianoforte, havethe last ives a most detailed account in Brendel's paper This much I may add: that the ht and favourable to the further progress of my work here ”Why Cellini at Weymar?” is a question which I need not answer to the first comer, but the practical solution of which will be such that we may be satisfied with it

Perhaps you yourself did not at first look upon the thing in the practical light in which it will appear to you later on In any case I believe that you will agree with me, unless you are inclined to aim at thin air I have just been positively informed that you have handed in your petition for a free pardon at Dresden How is this? Write to me as to this point, in perfect reliance on ht possibly be of service to you in the o I saw here Madame B D She looks very well; and her husband is a handsos, she told me that she had been unable to understand the part of your preface which referred to her, and that her husband, after reading the passage several tinorance As to the rest, she speaks well of you, and wishes very er has left for Dresden, and Frau Knopp is continually ill, so that there is little hope of an immediate perfor who formerly were of the opposition Moreover, the deep courtin consequence of the death of duchess Bernhard leaves iven by co Dutchladso if by that ti your finale of ”Tannhauser”, ”Er kehrt zuruck,” with seven times seventy-seven throats and hearts Have you any particular instructions for your ”Liebes it here in the course of the suverein we shall have your ”Faust” overture

Farewell Be as much as possible at peace with yourself and others, and write soon to your cordial and devoted friend,

F LISZT

WEYMAR, April 7th, 1852

75

My best thanks, dearest friend, for your last letter, which came toletters froain been owing me an answer so weather cheers in ain If I lived in Naples, or Andalusia, or one of the Antilles, I should write a great deal rey, misty climate, which disposes one only to abstraction I a Dutchman” So heard my ”Tannhauser”

overture, they wanted absolutely to have a taste of one of my operas I allowed myself at last to be talked over, and aination ofit as possible Everything as regards scenery and orchestra is done to help that reseers are not a bit better or worse than everywhere else; so I shall find out what can be done by the best intentions and a fabulous faith in , that the perfor to you, and therefore I invite you quite seriously, after receipt of this letter, to get leave for a week, trust yourself to the railway, and visit me at Zurich The first performance takes place Wednesday, April 21st, and between that and May 1st there will be two repetitions Are you no longer capable of this piece of folly? I am sure that you can if you will, and you would rejoice in the joy which your visit would give toelse you could do in these days would compensate you for it Do come! To Germany I shall not return; I have no hope and no wish for it There are too few people whoain, and those few I should like to see anywhere but in Germany You, my dearest friend, for example, I should like to see in Switzerland Please contradict race; if it were to spread and to be seriously believed, I should feel compelled to make a public declaration, which, for every reason, I should like to avoid

Leave this matter alone; if the return to Germany were open to nito visit to you at Weiave concerts, and he toldDutchman” had induced him to remain in Switzerland till the end of thisthe Hereditary Grand duchess along with you As you are going to give the ”Flying Dutchman” at Weiee