Volume II Part 3 (1/2)

152

For five days, dearest Richard, I have been in bed suffering from catarrh and intermittent fever, and shall probably have to be very careful till next week

I wrote to Dingelstedt long ago, and asked him to reply to you direct and elstedt is a gentleman, and will no doubt behave in such a rin” and ”Tannhauser” were given here last week On the first occasion the house was illuminated, because the Grand duchess visited the theatre for the first time since her confine Conservatoire, previously for fifteen or twenty years tenor at our theatre) sang ”Lohengrin,” and gave the lyrical portions of the part with reater effect than had previously been the case He had studied the part thoroughly at nu, and therefore sang the music with absolute certainty ”Tannhauser” drew, as usual, a full house; at the ”Lohengrin” perforers who had only arrived in the afternoon had to be refused admission

Pohl's wife played the harp part very well, and I asked him to write to you about the performance Pohl is a zealous and warm adherent of yours

The newspapers announce that you are going to conduct the i Musical Festival in Canton Valais Is there any truth in it? What part will Methfessel take in the direction? Let me know about this, as I have been asked several tiht to me

That is once more a dark, hopeless complaint! To help or to look on calmly--the one is almost as impossible to me as the other

After the experiences I have had, and of which I told you only the s of Saxony will perforain Send me your letter to his Majesty I hope it will be placed before him soon and in the best possible way Our Grand Duke is for the moment absent, and I shall not be able to see him before next week Write to me at once, and concoct your letter for Dresden, which you must send to me open

I have looked out for the copyist you require for your ”Nibelungen” It is difficult to find the proper individual who could undertake such a task I know several young ly try, but they are not sufficiently skilful and coe to one ofhim whether he could place himself at your disposal With him you would be quite satisfied In case my inquiry leads to a favourable result, I will let you know You ask hest”

Do not be anxious about s have to carry ood way further still

Your

F LISZT

153

DEAR, DEAR FRANZ,

I can never co you with rief to yourself My troublesome candour knows no bounds; every drop of the fount of my sorrow I pour out before you, and--I must hope that that is the very reason why you are so silent as to your own circuin to feel that the best res is sympathy with those of others My only sorrow today is that you hide your grief from my sympathy Are you really too proud to letme back the painful impression I made on you with my complaints, because you were unable to assist me? Be it so, dear friend; if you do not feel the want ofa clean breast of it all, be silent! But if you do feel such a want, then esteerief Do not think me as weak as I may appear to be My difficulty lies in the abominable er view if soht I think I have said enough

If more were needed, even this would have been too ht with iveof Saxony I shall leave alone; I should not kno to utter any truth in it that he would comprehend, and to tell lies I do not care; it is the only sin I know I shall finish en;” after that there will be tirin” I ao to the d-- in theWell then, I have once elstedt has not replied to me yet; he will have difficulties; it is not the custom to pay decently for dramatic work Neither do I kno to oust X frouard to boot Hartinger, the tenor, is very good and full of his task; but it was just he who told me that he did not see how X, even with the best intentions, could execute such music You of course I cannot expect to venture into this wasp's nest of Philistines

The Konigsbergthat he has no idea of producing ”Tannhauser” at Berlin What nonsense Herr H

has been talking to you! Do you care to write to him about it?

Do notenerally is that I attach no importance to it The truth about the Valais Musical Festival is as follows The coo to conduct that festival, which I flatly declined, declaring, however, ness to undertake a symphony by Beethoven (that in A) if they would appoint for the festival proper another conductor ould agree to that arrangeed Methfessel, of Berne, who is quite devoted to me In their announcements they think it useful to put the matter in such a way as to make it appear that I have undertaken the direction of ”the Musical Festival” conjointly with M

Perhaps it was this that surprised you Altogether notPeople frighten ether, but there are even greater doubts as to the collection of a decent chorus As,to have only ONE rehearsal, you will easily understand why I did not want to have ht of anda Latterly, it is true, they have asked iven up to them the ”Tannhauser”

overture, but with the condition that I e it; after the rehearsal I shall be at liberty to withdraw it The whole thing attracts ives me an opportunity for an Alpine trip (by the Bernese Oberland to Valais) In the saht and left, especially to Joachim, who had already promised e so as to be here about that ti” line in Valais B I also invited, but to YOU I had so ot about this invitation, and the saain today However, how do matters stand? You are sure to come to me, are you not? And will you followof July

If Joachi, I could easily get hie a letter some time for his book; I don't knohat to write to hi better should do what these people do, but I have no inclination that way any longer