Volume II Part 27 (1/2)
Tausig also pro several songs adartnerei” I shall accompany her in yours tomorrow
Yours in cordial friendshi+p,
F Liszt
Weimar, May 29th, 1871
Till the end of June address--Weirapher,
Again an excellent suggestion; folloithout hesitation and present us ere long with a pleasantly powerful and characteristic portrait of Tausig [Liszt's great pupil (born in 1841) had died in Leipzig on the 17th July, 187l] In what year of the fifties his father brought hireatly astonished I was at his extraordinary talent when I first heard hi signs of e, and somewhat delicate in appearance I felt soive him further instruction, determined not to undertake the task, and therefore inforanisation the wisest plan was to leave it free, independent develop with me He studied immoderately; as a rule kept very ot into various little scrapes in consequence of his quick, ironical huent with hi him; but I really could not have acted otherwise, and I loved him with all my heart On various occasions when I had to undertake short journeys in connection with the perfor other places to Dresden, Prague and Vienna Subsequently he lived in Vienna for soot up so some Symphonic Poems perforet a proper start He had to struggle on and to endurethe success he deserved His brilliant vocation did not beco, etc
In the spring of '69 Iin Paris (after the ”Tannhauser” scandal), and returned with hi Bulow conducted the Faust Sy the letters!), and Tausig played the A major Concerto marvellously
Since then I have seen hi in Weimar (where he played Beethoven's E- flat ive you the most reliable information about him, and our friend R Pohl may also be of use to you in your work As far as I know, no one has understood Tausig's genius, his demoniacally ideal nature, with so quick a perception, so refined and--I ht say--with such womanly intuition, as Frau von Moukhanoff (nee Countess Nesselrode)
Unfortunately the two letters in which she wrotededicated his two lately published Etudes, Op 1, to her, and she was ever a highly appreciative and kindly patroness of his Remember to mention her specially in your delineation of his character
Of Tausig's publications those chiefly deserving the highest praise are his masterly transcriptions of the Beethoven Quartets, the Toccata and Fugue of Bach (D minor), Schubert's March; the three pieces from ”Tristan and Isolde,” the pianoforte score of the ”Meistersinger,” of the Kaisermarsch, the ”Nouvelles Soirees de Vienne” and his two last original Etudes Recoood of pianists, and as a very saleable work, an early publication of his very adement of Chopin's first Concerto (E Minor)
Accept the expression of ratitude
F Listz
Schloss Wilhelmsthal, Sunday, July 23rd, 1871
In the middle of this week I return to Weiust
110 To Franz Servais
Dear Franz,
In spite of the proverb ”Every road leads to Rome” I shall not be able to return there by way of Hal this tiive my very affectionate respects to your ret to be unable to be present, except in thought, at the beautiful fauration of the monument to your father, on the 10th September--Shall you not invite the Prince de Chiovernor of Mons, I believe)? He would have a right there owing to his sincere interest for Art and his very distinguished musical talent
I am persuaded that Lassen will express in noble music the inspiration of this fete intended to perpetuate the memory of an illustrious and sympathetic artist But however successful may be his composition, it does not absolve you from yours, which filial affection demands of you and will dictate to you Write it without delay, and afterwards take advantage of your leisure at Hal to fulfil the praiseworthy programme indicated in your letter:
a To work hard at the Piano
b To help towards your independence by ure as conductor