Volume II Part 78 (1/2)
I am here till the end of October Later on I shall visit ary
349 To Baron Friedrich Podarian Opera in Budapest
[Printed in the Pester Lloyd (evening paper of 27th Septe sent Podarian Opera House instead of a Festal Prelude, which the latter had requested, Podmaniczky wrote to the Master on the 17th Septe been borrowed fro would prove an ”unsurmountable obstacle” to its perforned by Alexander Erkel as conductor Whereupon Liszt wrote the above reply]
Dear, Hochgeborener [Many of these titles have been left in their original language, being unused in England, and having no equivalent with us--Trans] Herr Baron,
To your letter dated the 17th of this”Hahj, Rakoczy, Bercsenyi” was not unknown to arian royal hye of which stand the words ”After an old Hungarian air” I learned to know this song froy, and it took hold of me with its decided, and expressive and artless character; I at once provided it with a finale of victory, and without troubling ed Kornel Abranyi, jun, for a new, loyal text with the refrain ”Eljen a kiraly,” so that ht attain its due expression both in words andrare in Art any more than in life
From countless heathen temples Catholic churches were formed In the classic epoch of Church music--in the 16th century--s, and in later times the Catholic antiphones were heard as Protestant Chorales And this went yet further, not excepting Opera, in which Meyerbeer utilised the Chorale ”Eine feste Burg” for a stage effect, and in ”L'Etoile du Nord” consecrated the ”Dessauer Marsch” into the Russian National hymn A revolutionary tendency is commonly ascribed to the universally known and favorite ”Rakoczy March,” and its performance has been more than once forbidden
Music renifications For the rest, God forbid that I should anywhere push forward either myself or eborener Herr Baron, to decide whether arian Opera House or not The score, as also the many orchestral and vocal parts, are to be had at the publishers, Taborsky and Parsch
I beg you, Sir, to accept the expression of h esteem
F Liszt
Weimar, September 21st, 1884
[To this Alex Erkel ”), instead of being perfor of the new theater on the 27th Septeiven at an ”Extra Opera performance” The Master consented, but did not appear at this first performance of his work, which took place on the 25th March, 1885, and met with tremendous applause]
350 To Walter Bache
[This letter is published, as a Preface, in the English edition of Liszt's ”St Elizabeth”]
Very honored Friend,
For so your beautiful talent as a pianist, your care as a professor and as a conductor to land The task see, but you are doing it nobly, with the rateful thanks to you on the occasion of the present edition of the ”Legend of St Elizabeth,”
published by the well-accredited house of Novello [The translator of the English edition (Constance Bache) has also translated lish]
This work, which was performed for the first time in 1865 at Budapest, has been reproduced successively in several countries and languages Let us hope that it will also land
Your much attached
F Liszt
Weimar, October 18th, 1884
351 To the Composer Mili Balakireff, Conductor of the I
Very honored, dear Confrere,
My ad disciples want to please me they play me your compositions and those of your valiant friends In this intrepid Russian musical phalanx I welcoy; they suffer in no wise from poverty of ideas--a malady which is widespread in nised, and their naratitude the honor of the dedication [to me] of your Symphonic Poee orchestra When the 4-hand edition co me a copy From the middle of January until Easter I shall be at Budapest