Volume II Part 1 (1/2)

Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt

Volume 2

by Francis Hueffer (translator)

BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

The Gerner (1811-1883) could be considered to be one of the ideological fathers of early 20th century Gerhly intelligent, sophisticated, co whole systems of humanistic philosophy, and with an intense need to coreat operas which, in addition to their artistic oistic, chauvenistic kind of Gers in his operas that only a German can fully understand, especially if he would like to see his country closed off to outsiders It is unlikely, however, that Wagner expected these ideas to achieve any popularity Tiainst philistines, irrational people and politicians in his letters

With great exasperation and often depression he expressed little hope that his country would ever ee out of its ”philistinisated Add to this the great difficulties he had in getting his works perforht assu, reat, intensely beloved friend Liszt believed in, fully understood, and greatly appreciated Wagner's works, but Liszt was just one in a ested, associated with a base coterie incapable of assi the sorry state of , he surely would have been surprised if his operas and his ideas achieved any wide currency That he continued to ith intense energy to develop his ideas, to fix the that probably no sizeable population would ever likely take note of the that his existence as an underappreciated, rational individual in an irrational world was absurd and futile, is a testimony to the enormous will-power of this ”ubermensch”

CORRESPONDENCE OF WAGNER AND LISZT, VOLUME 2

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DEAREST RICHARD,

Yesterday (Saturday, January 7th) first perfor The public, very numerous in spite of double prices, displayed much sympathy and admiration for this wonderful work The first act went tolerably well as far as the artists were concerned Rietz conducted in a precise and decent manner, and the ENSEMBLES had been carefully studied The second and third acts, however, suffered s of both chorus and principals Further perforh the Leipzig theatre does certainly not possess the proper singers and scenic artists

The flagging in the second act, which I previously took the liberty of pointing out to you, was felt very much on this occasion, and the public seemed painfully and unmistakably tired

The tempi of the choruses seemed to me considerably too fast, and there was ether, without self-conceit, Iperformance is inferior to ours, as you will probably hear fro public is in many respects superior to ours, and I feel convinced that the external success of yesterday's perforrand success of this work can no longer be denied; of that we should be glad, and the rest will follow sooner or later The actors, Rietz and Wirsing, were called after the first act, and after the last the representatives of the principal parts had to appear again T, who had come from Paris for this performance, was very dissatisfied with it I toned hi by detailed criticisrandest work of art which we possess so far, and that the Leipzig theatre by perfor it has done credit to itself

If you have to write to Leipzig show yourself, to please oodwill, and of the success which cannot be denied The only reht make concerns the quick terin” passage in the third act

[Here, Liszt illustrates with a 4-bar musical score example where the words, ”Ath----]

as compared with YOUR METRONOMIC INDICATION This is the more necessary as the chorus practically broke down, and these passages failed to produce their due effect

On the next birthday of the Grand duchess (April 8th) ”Lohengrin” will be given here, with Gotze (at present professor of singing at the Leipzig Conservatoire, late first tenor of this theatre) and Frau Fastlinger, and about the esar has also asked X to sing Ortrud, and has offered her as well as Tichatschek very decent terue and undecided: ”Unless I have to go to England at that ti splendidly on this occasion, and I thank you for the few friendly lines you have written to him, for he really deserves it by his war together with Krebs, and during the entr'acte we met at the buffet, when he told lad to hear The Hartels have sent you three hundred thalers for the nine pieces frorin”

Farewell, and let me soon hear from you

Your

FRANZ

January 8th, 1854

144

DEAREST FRIEND,