Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt — Volume 2

Many thanks for your "Kunstler." You had in me a somewhat adverse judge of this composition--I mean, I was not in the mood for it. I have got so unaccustomed to judging in an ob...

Your "Mazeppa" is terribly beautiful; I was quite out of breath when I read it for the first time. I pity the poor horse; nature and the world are horrible. I would really rathe...

My reading is, at present, confined to Calderon, who will at last induce me to learn a little Spanish. Heaven forbid that in that case I should remind you of H. Nageli. The nece...

Consider this, and bear in mind that it will be a CLIMAX OF OUR LIVES, for the sake of which all common things must be got over and brought into order. I count upon your magnani...

It need not be explained at length that the performances of "Tannhauser" and "Lohengrin" which have so far been given by theatres of the second and third rank, satisfactory and...

You have given me a delightful Easter Sunday, dearest, most unique of friends, by your letter. By the loving "Azymen" which you offer me with so much kindness and friendship, yo...

I should prefer not to write to you today, dearest Franz, because I am not in the proper mood for it, but as I must not think of working, I make at least this attempt at some so...

Your offer of help in the circumstances in which you make it to me has placed me in a painful position, and so much is certain, that I cannot accept the sum which you promise to...

Did you really think for a moment that I had conceived the idea of giving concerts in order to make propaganda for myself, or to make music, or what not? Did you not see at once...

I wrote to him that doubts had arisen in me whether I still desired the performance of "Rienzi" at Weimar, and I ask you to agree with me and give up the plan. If anything could...

My silence extends to everything else that otherwise I might have told you about myself. If one has to tell such things at all, it is better to be silent about them. As to the C...

It gives us great pain to know that you are suffering. I would accept double and treble the rheumatism which I have caught in this climate, where we have eight months of bad wea...

At last I told him: "This I will guarantee, by word and deed, that between the completion of the "NIBELUNGEN", which may be expected by the end of the next year, and its perform...

"APROPOS", your "X." is a perfect madman, and I should certainly not advise you to have anything to do with a man like him. He asked me to attend a vocal practice of his pupils,...

You are probably in direct correspondence with Eckert concerning the performance of "Lohengrin" at Vienna. He informed me that the work would be given this autumn. The principal...

Your warnings and admonitions not to rely on the performance of my operas in Italy I pass over. Whatever can have given you the curious and mistaken notion that my journey to It...

A "Divina Commedia" it is to be? That is a splendid idea, and I enjoy the music in anticipation. But I must have a little talk with you about it. That "Hell" and "Purgatory" wil...

The German musical genius Richard Wagner (1811-1883) could be considered to be one of the ideological fathers of early 20th century German nationalism. He was well-suited for th...

Unfortunately I have not yet been able to begin this necessary work in the proper way. Before my journey to the Rhine the translation occupied me exclusively, and on my return h...

Hartel is having the scores of Nos. 3 and 4 of my symphonic poems ("Les Preludes" and "Orpheus") engraved. I am as yet uncertain whether I shall publish the nine pieces together...

You have punished me in your amiable manner. I reproached myself very much about this Berlin affair; in any case I was too rash, and settled the matter too quickly after my fash...

It is you, dear friend, who are suffering and needing comfort; for the extraordinary letter which you found it possible to send me can only have sprung from a terrible mental ir...