Chapter 16

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 parts will be splendidly cast: Ander (Lohengrin), Meyer (Elsa), and Csillagh (Ortrud), and if Eckert throws his heart into the thing, a great success is beyond all doubt.

Of my performances at Prague, Vienna, and Pesth, you have probably heard from others. Although I have no reason to complain, I am very glad that they are over, and that I may stop at home again; for I must candidly confess that the wear and tear connected with similar occasions is very unpleasant to me, and becomes almost unbearable if it lasts more than a few weeks.

Do not desert "Tristan"; he is to lead you back soon, and VICTORIOUSLY, to Siegfried.

Your

FRANZ

May 7th, 1858.

259.

I send you today a WONDERFUL FELLOW, dearest Richard; receive him kindly.

Tausig is to work your Erard thoroughly, and to play all manner of things to you. Introduce him to our mutual friends at Zurich-- Herwegh, Wille, Semper, Moleschott, Kochly--and take good care of him.

Your

F. LISZT.

WEYMAR, May 18th, 1858.

260.

ZURICH, July 2nd, 1858.

At last, dearest Franz, I have once more got so far as to be able to carry out my long-delayed intention of writing to you.

I have to thank you very much for your last letter, to which I thought, upon the whole, silence was the best answer. I hope you understood me rightly. I am generally too talkative, and chat about many things which it would be better to keep to myself. This would be more advantageous to others also, for he who refuses to understand a silent friend will find a talking one troublesome.

Cordial thanks also to the good Princess for her letter.

Of "Tristan" I have sketched the second act; whether I have succeeded I shall see when I come to work it out. It was amusing to me to see you treat this peculiar affair as a matter of literary business in your letter. I explained to the Princess some time ago that the belief of the Prague manager, that I was writing this opera for a first performance at his theatre, was a pure misunderstanding. I could not help smiling at your believing in the assertion of this odd man sufficiently to speak to me seriously of the matter, and to offer me your amiable assistance. You must, of course, have been puzzled at my having the score engraved in this early stage of the proceedings. But there is a very simple reason for it. I had, as you know, no money, and, as "Rienzi" came to nothing, I saw no other way except "doing business" with the Hartels. For that purpose I chose "Tristan", then scarcely begun, because I had nothing else. They offered to pay me half the honorarium of 200 louis d'or, i.e., 100 louis d'or on receipt of the score of the first act, so I hurried to get it done head over heels. This was the reason of my business- like haste in finishing this poor work. Altogether, the fate of my works, including "Tristan", has become a matter of great indifference to me; as to how, where, and when, I care little, as long as I may be present.

The Grand Duke has probably given you my greetings, for which he asked me in a very amiable manner. I did not think it proper to charge him with such a message. H. R. H. wanted to know whether, in case I were permitted to return to Germany, I should go to Weimar, or whether I should prefer another "engagement," and I explained to him that the only advantage I expected from my amnesty was, to be able to visit Germany periodically, and that for that purpose I had chosen your house, because it was your house, as my pied-a-terre. That house, fortunately, being at Weimar, the only danger would be that you might refuse to receive me, and his wish of having me at Weimar would entirely depend upon your friendship, which, therefore, he should try to perpetuate. With that he was quite satisfied.

You have given me great pleasure with little Tausig. When he came into my room, one fine morning, bringing your letter, I shook you cordially by the hand. He is a terrible youth. I am astonished, alternately, by his highly developed intellect and his wild ways. He will become something extraordinary, if he becomes anything at all. When I see him smoking frightfully strong cigars, and drinking no end of tea, while as yet there is not the slightest hope of a beard, I am frightened like the hen, when she sees the young ducklings, whom she has hatched by mistake, take to the water. What will become of him I cannot foresee, but whisky and rum he will not get from me. I should, without hesitation, have taken him into my house, if we had not mutually molested each other by pianoforte playing. So I have found him a room in a little hole close to me, where he is to sleep and work, doing his other daily business at my house. He does, however, no credit to my table, which, in spite of my grasswidowerhood, is fairly well provided. He sits down to table every day stating that he has no appetite at all, which pleases me all the less, because, the reason is, the cheese and the sweets he has eaten. In this manner he tortures me continually, and devours my biscuits, which my wife doles out grudgingly even to me. He hates walking, and yet declares that he would like to come with me when I propose to leave him at home. After the first half hour he lags behind, as if he had walked four hours. My childless marriage is thus suddenly blessed with an interesting phenomenon, and I take in, in rapid doses, the quintessence of paternal cares and troubles. All this has done me a great deal of good; it was a splendid diversion, for which, as I said before, I have to thank you. You knew what I wanted. Of course the youth pleases me immensely in other ways, and, although he acts like a naughty boy, he talks like an old man of pronounced character. Whatever subject I may broach with him, he is sure to follow me with clearness of mind and remarkable receptivity. At the same time it touches and moves me, when this boy shows such deep, tender feeling, such large sympathy, that he captivates me irresistibly. As a musician he is enormously gifted, and his furious pianoforte playing makes me tremble. I must always think of you and of the strange influence which you exercise over so many, and often considerably gifted, young men. I cannot but call you happy, and genuinely admire your harmonious being and existence.

My wife will return in a fortnight, after having finished her cure, which will have lasted three months. My anxiety about her was terrible, and for two months I had to expect the news of her death from day to day. Her health was ruined, especially by the immoderate use of opium, taken nominally as a remedy for sleeplessness. Latterly the cure she uses has proved highly beneficial; the great weakness and want of appetite have disappeared, and the recovery of the chief functions (she used to perspire continually), and a certain abatement of her incessant excitement, have become noticeable. The great enlargement of her heart will be bearable to her only if she keeps perfectly calm and avoids all excitement to her dying day. A thing of this kind can never be got rid of entirely. Thus I have to undertake new duties, over which I must try to forget my own sufferings. Well, and how about you? Will you come to my assistance again this year? Your kind heart promises me to do so every year, but, during the nine years of my exile, I have succeeded only twice in tearing you away from your great dense world. Although you have promised me your visit for this year, you will find it natural if I am not too certain of seeing my wish fulfilled. I must add several marks of interrogation and of prayer.

Cordial thanks to the dear, heavenly Child for her last letter; I hope my silence was eloquent.

A thousand greetings and cordial responses to you three dear ones! I also wish to be remembered to F. Muller, who sent me a beautiful letter of congratulation on my birthday. I shall write to him soon, without fail.

Farewell, dear Franz. You can imagine how often I am with you, especially when Tausig is sitting at the piano. Between us, all is one. Farewell, and continue to love me.

Your

R. W.

261.

DEAREST RICHARD,

When I saw the Grand Duke last night for the first time after his return, he told me much about the visit you paid him at Lucerne. I do not know what impression your acquaintance with him has left on you, as we have had no news from you for such a long time, but from what I have heard, and what has already happened, I conclude with tolerable certainty that we shall see you here for the first performance of "Tristan", AT THE LATEST. May God grant that it will be sooner; and I need not tell you that nothing I can do will be left undone.

Dingelstedt will shortly write to you about "Rienzi", which is to be performed next season, in December or January. Last winter we were unable to get on with the work for reasons which, as they exist no longer, are not sufficiently important to be discussed.

Let me soon hear from you.

Your

F. L.

July 3rd, 1858.

I enclose a letter to Tausig, which you will be kind enough to hand to him.

How is he getting on at Zurich, and what do you think of him?

262.

ZURICH, July 8th, 1858.

This affair of T. and X., dearest Franz, has become very significant to me. It has shown me most clearly and definitely that even amongst the best of friends a certain mode of action may be perverted beyond recognition into its very opposite; and I look with horror upon the cares of this world, where everything is ruled by confusion and error to the verge of madness. It was absolutely terrible to me to read your charges against T. What I felt is difficult to describe; it was like a longing for death. About this young T. I recently wrote to you in a very unconventional manner. Two things make me overlook all his shortcomings, and attach me to him to such a degree that I feel inclined to place much confidence in him. One of them is his boundless love for you, the absolute abandonment of his impertinence as soon as you are mentioned, his most tender and deep reverence for you; the other, the beautiful warmth and genuine friendship which he shows at every moment for X. In the present case also he defended the latter in a really touching manner, and speaks of him always with enthusiastic praise of his heart and his intellect. Were it not for these two traits I should not know what to think of this young man, who speaks of God and the world in the most ruthless manner. Curiously enough, your reproach hit him in this particular point, and when he showed me your letter there was a peculiar desperate question in his glance. With such experiences the boy will become quickly, almost too quickly, mature.

My words will show you how deeply this matter has affected me; it is one of the thousand things which, when they occur to me, estrange me more and more from this world.

Farewell, and write to me again soon.

Always cordially your

R. W.

263.

I cannot understand in what manner I have caused YOU grief, but I feel the painful rebound of your wounded heart. My admonition to T. proceeded from a pure cause. X. himself knew nothing of it, and T. would have done well if he had kept silence towards you. "Insinuations" and "diplomacy" are surely out of the question. I greatly dislike mixing myself up with other people's affairs, and if I have done so this time, it was certainly not because I was led to it by others (I give you my word, that not a word has been said or written about the whole matter), but merely because it had been imposed upon me as a kind of duty to act as guardian to T., and it appeared only too probable that his conduct had not been very correct. The young Titan sometimes gives way to an absence of mind and a state of overexcitement, against which those who wish him well should warn him. His exceptional talent and his genial and prepossessing manner generally incline me towards being overindulgent with him, and I do not deny my genuine love and partiality for this remarkable specimen of a "Liszt of the future," as T. has been called at Vienna. But for that very reason I expect him to be a good and steady fellow in all respects.

Be thanked for the kindly friendship and care you bestow upon him. I hope he will not only profit by them, but honour them. The rare happiness of living near you, and of being distinguished by you, should form and mature him as an artist and as a man.

Ever thine,

F. L.

July 18th, 1858.

264.

DEAREST RICHARD,

Before the 18th inst. I cannot get away from here; the centenary celebration of Jena University will take place on the 15th, 16th, and 17th, and I have promised to take part in it. Apart from this, I expect in a few days a visit, which is of importance to me.

It was my intention to see you at the beginning of September, but I will gladly undertake the journey a few weeks sooner. You on your part must delay your journey by a fortnight, and write to me by return whether I shall find you at Zurich on the 20th instant. I should, of course, not make this journey unless I could be certain of being a few days with you. Trips of pleasure or recreation are not my affair any longer, and I could not consent to one. On the other hand, I shall be genuinely pleased to see you again.

Your

F. LISZT.

August 6th, 1858.

265.

GENEVA, August 20th, 1858.

DEAREST FRANZ,

Kindly make inquiries whether I might stay a short time at Venice which does not belong to the German confederacy without being claimed, extradited and otherwise molested. The vise of my passport I got from the Austrian minister without any difficulty. I daresay the Saxon minister would have given me his vise too (in order to get hold of me).

If there is any danger, kindly let the Grand Duke intercede for me, so that I may stay at Venice without being bothered.

I should be very thankful to him, for that quiet, interesting city tempts me greatly. I shall delay my departure till I hear from you; in any case I must wait till the heat is over.

Farewell, and be thanked for all your friendship.

Your

R. W.

MAISON FAZY, 30 ETAGE.

266.

GENEVA, August, 24th, 1858.

DEAREST FRANZ,

Best thanks for your reply. It somewhat startled me, and I made inquiries through a friend in Berne of the Austrian minister there. I enclose his answer, from which you will see that for the present I have nothing to fear at Venice. Whether they will allow me to stay there for any length of time is a different question which is of great importance to me. I feel the necessity of living in strict seclusion for some considerable period, in order to devote myself entirely to my work. The country will not, in the long run, do for this, and in an indifferent town I might, at last, be reduced to making acquaintance with commonplace people-- the worst of all evils. One of the interesting, large cities of Italy is exactly what I want. In such surroundings one can most easily keep to oneself, for every walk presents objects of an important kind, and satisfies the want of men and things. But in large towns the noise of carriages is absolutely unbearable to me; it drives me wild. Venice is notoriously the quietest, i.e., most noiseless city in the world, which has decided me in its favour. Apart from this Dr. W. and K.R. have given me the most attractive accounts of life in Venice; the latter will spend the winter there. Finally, Venice is more convenient for my frequent communications with Germany than any other Italian town would be; by way of Vienna my letters, etc., will reach the centre of Germany in no time. In short, I am obstinately fixed on Venice, and do not want to think of any other choice, because it is not travelling about, but settling down as soon as possible that I care for.

Listen, therefore. Kindly ask the Grand Duke in my name, for the special favour of securing for me, by his intercession in Vienna, an undisturbed sojourn in Venice. This is indispensable for my future, for such a permission would permanently open to me Venice and Austrian Italy generally. Let therefore the Grand Duke show himself my well-inclined protector, and do all in his power to comply with my wish.

It will further be necessary that your friend should graciously take the necessary steps as soon as possible. If, in the meantime, I should get into difficulties, I should at once claim his protection.

Therefore, please, please go to court at once! Help me and do what I wish.

From Venice I shall write again; till then continue to love me.

Your

R. W.

VENICE, poste restante.--Depeche telegraphique.

BERNE, Le 24 Aout, Tuesday, 1858.

To RICHARD WAGNER,

Geneva,

Maison Fazy.

Austrian minister thinks you have nothing to fear if your passport has the Austrian vise. He can guarantee nothing, but is morally certain that you will not be molested.

Telegraphic inquiry of the Gouverneur of Venice, he thinks imprudent because exciting attention and necessitating inquiry at Vienna. Answer would take too long. Dangerous refugees are notified to the embassy to prevent vise of their passports, which is not the case with you. Minister thinks your journey quite safe, but cannot personally give you any further information.

Bon voyage, dear friend.

FROELICH.

267.

DEAREST RICHARD,

Bad news again! All the inquiries I have made agree on the point that your stay in Venice will by no means be secure. The Grand Duke, to whom I communicated the contents of your last letter, has commissioned me simply to advise you against the journey, and to recommend to you (as I have already done) Genoa or Sardinia. From Dresden I hear that there is at present no hope of your amnesty, and that the statements to that effect in several newspapers have not been confirmed. Nevertheless, I hope that some "measure" in your favour, I mean the permission of staying for a time at one place or another in Germany, will be taken, through means of the Grand Duke of Baden or the Grand Duke of Weymar. The performance of "Tristan", at Carlsruhe or elsewhere, will offer the best opportunity, and as soon as you have finished the work, I beg of you to neglect nothing which may facilitate your return to Germany, although at first only for a few months for the special purpose of conducting "Tristan" in person. As far as I know your situation, or rather your connections and relations, I think you will have, in the first instance, to apply to the Grand Duke of Baden; the young Prince is much in your favour, as is also the Grand Duchess. With our Prince I have, of course, discussed the matter frequently and at great length. I have, it is true, not been able to get a positive promise from him, but I think it very probable that when the time comes for "Tristan" he will not fail to give you a proof of the interest in you which he has frequently expressed, and, as you know, has shown by several letters and intercessions in your favour.

I wish, dearest Richard, I could give you pleasanter and more desirable news, but certain things cannot be changed or broken through all at once. From Austria you cannot expect much for the recovery of your personal liberty. It would be half a miracle if anything of the kind should happen. Even the performance of your operas at Vienna is an example of exceptional toleration, considering the customs of the country. To demand more would appear to me illusory. Your POLITICAL expectations in Austria are as small as are your ARTISTIC expectations in Paris and Italy. Performances of your works in the French or Italian language must for the present be looked upon as pia desideria, or else as newspaper canards.

I am sometimes surprised (forgive my candour) that you fail to perceive that if a performance of "Tannhduser" were given at Paris or Milan, it would take place in very unfavourable circumstances. (I do not speak of London, where a good GERMAN opera troupe might have a chance.) For several years to come the only true soil for your works is Germany; that soil they will occupy more and more firmly, and in advance of all other productions. Do not allow yourself to be led away by vague talking, and preserve your justifiable pride................. .................................

I start to-night with the Princess and her daughter for the Tyrolese mountains. Address your next letter, "Hotel de Baviere", Munich, whence it will be forwarded to me. I cannot say, for the present, where we shall make a longer stay. About September 20th we shall once more pass through Munich, and shall be back here on October 1st at the latest.

When you can spare a quiet hour, let me know why you did not care to stay a few days longer at Zurich, where I intended to visit you on the 20th inst. at the latest. Several business matters (mostly in connection with the Grand Duke), and the University celebration at Jena, on August 15th (where I had undertaken to conduct some of my compositions), made it impossible for me to leave here sooner.

However that may be, I remain invariably your faithful and loving

F. LISZT.

WEYMAR, August 26th, 1858.

268.

VENICE, September 12th, 1858.

DEAR FRANZ,

I have just received your letter, dated 26th ult., which had lain at Geneva all that time. I see from it that you are very near me, and I hope I need only tell you that I am here in order to be able to expect your visit. Descend the Tyrolese mountains on this side, and you are with me. I should like much to reply by word of mouth to all you tell me, including your most curious ideas as to my designs on Italy.

Let me see you soon. A thousand greetings from

Your

R. W.

CANAL GRANDE, PALAZZO GIUSTINIANI,

CAMPIELLO SQUILLINI, No. 3228, VENICE.

269.

VENICE, September 27th, 1858.

PALAZZO GIUSTINIANI,

CAMPIELLO SQUILLINI, 3228.

DEAREST FRANZ,

Your letter of 23rd ult. was forwarded to me from Geneva very late, and I saw from it that you were near me,--"in the Tyrolese mountains," you said,--and this raised the hope in me that I should see you and speak to you soon. I must doubt, however, whether my letter to that effect, addressed to you "Hotel de Baviere", Munich, reached you in time, because I have neither seen nor heard anything of you. I feel that my desire of personal communication with you will not be realised, and I therefore write to you as to certain points, in connection with which I owe you an explanation.

Altogether this cannot amount to much; you had to attend to University celebrations, etc., which, pardon me for saying so, appeared extremely trivial to me. I did not press you any more, but I must confess that when at last I received the news of your intended arrival on the 20th, it did not impress me very much.

Of my desire of selecting Venice for my place of abode, I gave you a full account in my last letter from Geneva, in which I also informed you of the satisfactory news I had had from the Austrian minister at Berne. I am in quest of repose and absolute retirement, such as only a larger town can offer to me. My attitude towards my surroundings must be an absolutely negative one; in that manner alone can I gain leisure and the proper mood for my work.