Volume II Part 15 (1/2)

200

October 3rd, 1855

Today, dearest Franz, I send you the two first acts of the ”Valkyrie” finished It is a great satisfaction to me to place them at once in your hands, because I know that no one sympathises with hty second act; it contains two catastrophes, so important and so powerful, that there would be sufficient matter for two acts; but then they are so interdependent, and the one implies the other so immediately, that it was impossible to separate them If it is represented exactly as I intend, and if my intentions are perfectly understood, the effectthat has hitherto been in existence Of course, it is written only for people who can stand so (perhaps in reality for nobody) That incapable and weak persons will complain, cannot in any wayhas succeeded according to my own intentions I cannot do it otherwise At times, when I was tireat scene of Wotan, especially when he discloses the decrees of fate to Brynhild, and in London I was once on the point of rejecting the whole scene In order to come to a decision, I took up the sketch, and recited the scene with proper expression, when, fortunately, I discovered that my spleen was unjustified, and that, if properly represented, the scene would have a grand effect even in a purely musical sense

The manner of expression I have in places indicated very accurately, but it still remains, and will indeed be er and actor to the very core of my intentions by means of personal co at once For the developy, this is the most important scene of all, and, as such, it will probably meet with the necessary sy at all in my score, you will, at least, be pleased once , and will think the precaution of red lines ingenious This representation on paper will probably be the only one which er over the copying with satisfaction

I hope, more firmly than ever, to finish the last act by Christmas That you allow yourself to be ordered about by me is too kind of you, and touches me deeply In return, I promise to behave very reasonably when you come In the meantime I shall nurse the feeble re the last weeks before your arrival I shall try a few solfeggi, in order to restore the overstrained and badly treated instrument to a tolerable condition Must I assure you oncewith a sacred awe!

As far as we require society, it will not be unpleasant this time You probably know that Sereat pleasure in hih, and of his nature h still fiery Carl Ritter also will settle here He pleases me better than ever His intellect is vast, and I do not know another young man like him

He loves you sincerely, and understands you well

Berlioz replied lately to a letter of s, to ratis That he cannot do, because his earlier publishers will give him no more free copies I confess that it would interest me very much to study his symphonies carefully in full score Do you possess theive theratefully, but should like to have them soon

The Hanover business has been settled satisfactorily, the Intendant having apparently seen the error of his ways I thank you for your well-intended advice with regard to Wehner, and regret to have troubled you with this truhtmare If the New York people should ever make up their minds to offer me a considerable sum, I should be in the most awful dilemma If I refused I should have to conceal it froe ht have undertaken such a thing, but to have to walk in such by-ways now in order to live would be too hard,--nohen I am fit only to do, and to devote myself to, that which is strictly en” in ht EARN in A in return beyond what I a, and which is the best that I can do Besides this, I am much better adapted to spend 60,000 francs in six months than to ”earn” it

The latter I cannot do at all, for it is not my business to ”earn ive me as much money as I want, to do , and I will take courage froht that the Aate it either, for in the ”luckiest” case it would be a great trouble to me Of your dear ones I never have any real news; I am frequently asked, and do not knohat to say But you reet them all the more cordially for me, and, if you can, love me with all your heart Will you not? Adieu

Your R W

And how about your great compositions? To know them at last is worth a whole life toLet me know AT ONCE that my score has arrived, so that I may not worry myself about it

201

One word, dearest Franz, to say that my score has safely arrived!

I am anxious

Your

R

202

Your ”Valkyrie” has arrived, and I should like to reply to you by your ”Lohengrin” chorus, sung by 1,000 voices, and repeated a thousandfold: ”A wonder! a wonder!”

Dearest Richard, you are truly a divine being, and it is my joy to feel after you and to follow you

More by word of”in great inner excitee 40, in D: