PART II

LISZT'S LETTERS

MY DEAR SIR: It will certainly give me great pleasure to see and hear you again at Weimar, but I trust that you will excuse me if I do not accept the proposition you make, that of giving you regular lessons, from which, moreover, I fancy you would have little to gain.

As for your idea of settling for some time at Weimar, it would be well for me to discuss it a little with you before you carry it out. The distance from Leipsic being so short, it would cause you but little inconvenience to pay me a short visit here, in the course of which it will be easy for me to say exactly what I believe will be best for you.

Accept, my dear sir, the expression of my feelings of esteem and consideration for you.

F. LISZT.

WEIMAR, August 3, 1851.

DEAR MR. MASON: Your welcome letter gives me very hearty pleasure, and I beg you to rest assured of the continuance of my most affectionate feelings for you.

I often hear of your triumphs in America, and I rejoice to know that your talent is rightly appreciated and praised. Your compositions have not reached me yet, but I am all ready to make them very welcome.

In a fortnight I start for Weimar. The Tonkuenstler Versammlung is to take place this year at Meiningen, from the 22d to the 25th of August. I shall attend it, as also the Wartburg Jubilee Festival, at which my oratorio "Sainte Elisabeth" will be given on the 28th of August. Perhaps I may meet there Mr. Theodore Thomas and Mr. S. B. Mills, of whom you have spoken to me. The ability of Mr. Thomas I have heard highly praised; I have to thank him particularly for the interest which he takes in my "Poemes Symphoniques." Those artists who desire to give themselves the trouble of understanding and interpreting my works are separated, by that alone, from the ranks of the commonplace. I, more than any one, owe them gratitude, and I shall not fail to show it to Messrs. Thomas and Mills when I have the pleasure of making their acquaintance.

The news which reaches me from time to time of musical things in America is usually favorable to the cause of the progress of contemporary art which I am proud to serve and uphold.

It seems that with you chicanery, blunders, and stupidity of a criticism perverted by ignorance, envy, and venality, exercise less influence than in the Old World. I congratulate you on it. May you successfully follow the noble career of an artist with industry, perseverance, resignation, modesty, and an unshaken faith in the Ideal--such as you showed in Weimar, dear Mr. Mason.

Your truly affectionate and devoted

FR. LISZT.

ROME, July 8, 1867.

DEAR MR. MASON: Mr. Seward has brought me your welcome letter and several of your compositions. These give me double pleasure, for they show that your time at Weimar has not been lost and that you continue to make good use of it elsewhere.

"L'Etude de Concert, Op. 9," and "Valse Caprice, Op. 17," are distinguished in style and of good effect. I can also sincerely praise the three preludes (Op. 8) and the two ballades, but with some reservation. The first ballade appears to me a trifle curtailed.

There is a certain something lacking at the beginning and toward the middle (page 7) which is necessary to make the _motif_ stand out again, and the pastorale of the second ballade (page 7) figures there rather as padding--_embarras de richesse!_

And, since I am criticizing, let me ask why you entitle your "Ah, vous dirai-je Maman," "Caprice Grotesque"? Beyond the fact that the grotesque style should not intrude in music, this title does injustice to the ingenious imitations and harmonies of the piece which is otherwise so charming; it would be more fitting to call it "Divertissement" or "Variazione Scherzose."

As to the "Method," you do not, of course, expect me to make an exhaustive study of it. I am much too old for that, and it is only in self-defense that I occasionally try the piano--considering the incessant fatigue caused me by the indiscretion of a crowd of people who imagine that nothing can be more flattering to me than to amuse them!

Nevertheless, in going through your "Method," I find highly commendable exercises, notably the _interlocking passages_ (pages 136-142) _and all the accentuated treatment_ > > > > _of exercises_. May your pupils and editors derive thence all the benefit they should.

A thousand thanks, dear Mr. Mason, and rely on my very affectionate and devoted feelings as of old.

F. LISZT.

ROME, May 26, 1869.

It will give me genuine pleasure to see you again, dear Mr. Mason. Next week I return to Weimar and shall remain there as usual till the middle of July.

Therefore, suit the time of your visit to your own convenience. I beg you to stay for several days at least.

A thousand affectionate and cordial greetings.

F. LISZT.

VIENNA, May 23, 1880.

INDEX

Allen, Thomas, 95

Altenburg, the, Liszt's studio in, 93; Furstin Sayn-Wittgenstein at, 94; picture of, 94; Liszt pupils at, 98, 122

Appledore, Isles of Shoals, Mason at, 251-258

Bach, "Triple Concerto," 107; "les agrements" in, 229; Rubinstein and, 290; Essipoff and, 232

Bauer, 270

Beethoven, first symphonic performance in America, 8, 13, 31; Remenyi and "Kreutzer Sonata," 93; Op. 106, 103, and Liszt plays, 104, 105; "Eroica Symphony," Liszt's contretemps in, 120; Liszt's "Young Beethoven" (Rubinstein), 171

Bellman, 137

Benedict, Sir Julius, 84

"Benediction de Dieu dans la Solitude" by Liszt, Mason's copy of, 118

Bergmann, Carl, 193

Berlioz, autograph, 168, 169

Blessner, Mr., violinist, 19

Bloomfield-Zeisler, 270

Boston Academy of Music, 9

Bowman, E. M., 261

Brahms, 127-142; in 1853, 127; first meeting with Liszt, 127-131; MSS. illegible, 127; won't play for Liszt, 128; Liszt plays Op. 4 and part of Op. 1 at sight, 128; Raff on Op. 4 and B.'s reply, 129; dozing while Liszt plays, 129; Liszt annoyed, 130; wrong accounts of first meeting with Liszt, 130 and 141; feat in transposing, 131; and Schumann, 132; Mason's meeting with in Bonn in 1880, 136; pianoforte-playing, Mason's opinion of, 137, and of compositions, 139; Liszt's coolness toward, 142, 194, 267, 268, 270

Brockway, Howard, 261

Brodsky, 151

Buck, Dudley, 261

Bull, Ole, 148, 149; autograph, 150

Buellow, Hans von, 91

Bulow, Von, 182, 238-241; letter to Mason, 239; statement about Cosima and Wagner, 240; autograph, 240

Burmeister, Richard, 270

Carreno, Teresa, 270

Chadwick, George W., 261

Chamber-music concerts, Mason's, 193-197

Chickering, Jonas, 19

Chopin, style of playing, 75, 171, 244

Clauss, Wilhelmine, 64

Cornelius, Peter, 145-147

Cossmann, Bernhard, 63, 92, 150

David, Ferdinand, 134

Devitalized muscular action, its importance in piano-playing discussed, 20

Diary, Mason's, at Weimar, 122-126

Dodworth's Hall, 194

Dohnanyi, Ernst von, 263; new symphony, 264

Dreyschock, 65-79; octave-playing, 66; on Chopin's pianoforte-playing, 75, and Henselt, 77

Dyer, Oliver, 184

Eichberg, Isidor, 252

Eichberg, Julius, 253

Erard pianoforte, Liszt's, 88, 92

Ernst, 149

Fontaine, Mortier de, Beethoven-player, 31

Foote, Arthur, 261

Franck, Cesar, 122

Friedheim, Arthur, 270

Gabrilowitsch, 269

Geilfuss, Louis, 182

Godowsky, 265

"Goldene Zeit" at Weimar, 97, 122

Gottschalk, 183, 205-209; "The Latest Hops," 208; Characteristic letter and autograph, 208

Grange, De la, 154, 157

Grieg, 241; autograph, 244

Groenvelt, Mr., violoncellist, 19

Handel and Haydn Society, Boston, early repertoire of, 7

Handel's "E Minor Fugue," Mason's copy of, 119, 123

Harvard Musical Association, repertoire of, 1846, 19

Hauptmann, Moritz, 44; passion for baked apples, 45; _Spiegel-Canon_ autograph, 45 and 48; opinion of Lowell Mason's work, 46

Heckmann, 137

"Heinrich, Father," anecdote of, 22

Henselt, 75, and Dreyschock, 77

_Herrmann_, steamer, 27

Hill, Frank, 27

Hoffman, Carl, 95

Hoffman, Richard, 207

Hofmann, Josef, 271

Hummel, 172

Huss, Henry Holden, 271

Joachim, 62; autograph, 64, 109, 124, 126, 137; coolness between Liszt and, 142, 147

Kelley, Edgar Stillman, 261

Klauser, Karl, 202

Klindworth, Karl, 89, 91, 97, 100, 107, 109, 114, 127, 141

Kneisel Quartet, autograph, 262

Kobbe, Gustav, X

Laub, Ferdinand, 63, 92, 126, 150; autograph, 180

Leschetitsky, 70

Liszt, feat of memory, 31-34, 59; Mason a pupil, and reminiscences of, 86-182; in middle life, portrait, 88; method of teaching, 90, 97-101, 114; quartet at the Altenburg, 91, and Remenyi, 93, 152; Liszt pupils, 89, 96; personal appearance, 101; and Beethoven's Op. 106, 103; and the eye-glasses, 106; carefulness in dress, 107; pianoforte-playing, 110-114; touch and own opinion of, 114; warns pupils against, _id._; on technic, 116; and Pixis, 117; as a conductor, 119; rehearsing "Tasso," 121; and Brahms's first meeting, 127-132, 141; and Wagner, 132, 158, 164; Joachim and, 142; sight-reading, 142; contrition, 144; musical intuition, 167; opinion of Tausig, 175; letters to Mason, 179, 181, and 291-296; last message to Mason, 182, 184, 198, 224, 229, 243, 270; "Sainte Elisabeth," 292; "Poemes Symphoniques," 293; opinion of Mason's compositions, 294

Liszt, Cosima, 240

Lohengrin, 133, 134, 139, 146

MacDowell, 255; "Sonata Tragica," 255; "Sonata Eroica," 256, 261

Marx, Dr., 165

Mason Brothers, 184

Mason, Lowell, 4; career of, 5-10 and 275 _et seq._; Handel and Haydn Society, 7; introduces music in Boston public schools, 8, 289; musical instruction for the blind, 8; Boston Academy of Music, 9; originates musical conventions, 9; fife and drum serenade to, 25; work praised by Moritz Hauptmann, 46; address on, by William S. Tilden, 275; ancestry of, 276; at Medfield, Mass., 277; portrait, 277; nearly drowned, 279; commences teaching, 282; religious views, 285; tact and shrewdness, 285; magnetism as a teacher, 286

Mason, William, portrait, 1899, frontispiece; ancestry of, 3; born at Boston, 3; early musical training, 10; meets Webster and Clay, 11, 12; portrait as a boy, 12; debut as pianist, 13; piano lesson, 14, 15; hints on touch, 16-18; plays with Harvard Musical Association, 18; hears Leopold de Meyer, 19; portrait at eighteen, 20; and "Father Heinrich," 22; meets Miss Webb, 26; sails for Bremen, 27; in Paris, 27; meets Meyerbeer, 28; in Hamburg, 31; goes to Leipsic, 31; first meeting with Liszt, 33; arrives at Leipsic, 34; concert of the Euterpe Society changes his high opinion of German musical taste, 34, 35; begins studies with Moscheles, 36; contrasts Schumann and Mendelssohn, 43; calls on Schumann and secures his autograph, 43, 44; contrasts personalities of Wagner and Schumann, 44; pupil of Moritz Hauptmann, 44; of Ernst Friedrich Richter, 48; acquaintance with Albert Wagner, 48; call on Richard Wagner in Zurich and interview, 48; impressions of Wagner, 50; Wagner writes the dragon motive for him as an autograph, 55; compares Moscheles and Paderewski, 59; first meeting with Joachim and opinion of, 62; hears Schumann's "First Symphony," 63, and pianoforte concerto, 63, 64; comment on, 64; decides to study with Dreyschock in Prague, 65; passport difficulties, 65; opinion of Dreyschock, 66; remarkable pianistic feat of Dreyschock, 67; upper-arm muscles in pianoforte-playing, 69; comment on Leschetitsky's method, 70; acquaintance with Jules Schulhoff, 71; amusing experiences at Prince de Rohan's dinner, 71; goes to Frankfort, 79; meets Beethoven's friend Schindler, 79; London debut, 84; Mendelssohn's influence in England, 84; again calls on Liszt at Weimar, 86; mistaken for wine agent, 87; plays for Liszt, 88; becomes a pupil of Liszt, 89; dines with the Wittgensteins, 95; acquaintance with Raff and Klindworth, 96; first lesson with Liszt, 98; fatigue after, 100; breakfast to Joachim and Wieniawski, 109; opinion of Liszt's playing, 111; M.'s copy of Liszt's "Benediction de Dieu dans la Solitude" and Handel's "E Minor Fugue," 118, 119; attends with Liszt rehearsal of "Tasso," 121; extracts from Weimar diary, 122-125; present at Brahms's first meeting with Liszt and description of, 127; attends Leipsic premiere of "Lohengrin," 133; supper at Ferdinand David's, 134; "Kapellmeister of New York," 135; meets Brahms at Bonn, 136; opinion of Brahms as pianist and composer, 137-141; acquaintance with Cornelius, 145; reminiscences and opinion of Joachim, Vieuxtemps, Ole Bull, Sivori, Ernst, Wilhelmj, Henri Wieniawski, Laub, Cossmann, and Brodsky, 147-151; acquaintance with Remenyi, 93, 151; reminiscences and opinion of Tedesco, Perelli, Sontag, Johanna Wagner, and De la Grange, 153-158; becomes a "Murl"; opinion of Wagner, 159; reminiscences of Raff, 161-164; sees Berlioz conduct, 168; opinion of, 169; opinion of Beethoven, Chopin, and Schumann, 170, 171; entertains Rubinstein at Weimar, 171; compares him with Hambourg, 174; letters from Liszt to, 176, also Appendix, Part II, p. 291 _et seq._; messages from Liszt to, 181, 182; return to America, 183; marriage, 183; concert tour, 183-190; combines "Yankee Doodle" and "Old Hundred," 187; teaching in New York, 191; inaugurates chamber-music concerts, 193; first program, 194; "Mason and Thomas Quartet," 196; concert at Farmington, Conn., 202; reminiscences of Gottschalk, 205, and Schumann's music, 209; describes Thalberg's playing, 210; reminiscences of Rubinstein and opinion of, 221-236; and Von Bulow, 238; letter from Von Bulow to, 239; meeting with Grieg, 241; discusses piano technic, tempo, pitch, etc., 243-251; studio, 248; at Isles of Shoals, 251-258; opinion of Von Dohnanyi, 263; Godowsky, 265; Gabrilowitsch, 269; Bauer, 270; Friedheim, 270

Mason-Thomas Quartet, portrait group, 196

Matthews, W. S. B., 261

Matzka, George, 194

Mayer, Carl, 31, 65

Mendelssohn, exaggerated worship of, 37; friendship with Moscheles, 37; thought greater than Beethoven, 37; influence in England, 85

Meyer, Leopold de, Mason's recollections of, 19; beauty of tone, 20; New York concerts and anecdote, 21, 69, 211-215

Meyerbeer, meeting of with William Mason, 28; rehearsing "Le Prophete", 30

Mills, S. B., 292

Moscheles, 27; autograph, 32; practises Beethoven in secret, 36; opposes his daughter's playing Chopin, 37; intimacy with Mendelssohn, 37; entertains Schumann, anecdote, 42; pianoforte-playing, 57; silver wedding, 61

Mosenthal, Joseph, 194

Mozart, 250

"Murls," the, 158

Musical conventions, origin of, 9

Musical pedigree, 180

Music in America to-day, 259-272

Ohe, Adele aus der, 270

Paderewski, 60; fantasy on "Yankee Doodle," 236; autograph, 236

Paine, John K., 252, 261

Parker, Horatio W., 261

Parker, J. C. D., 135

"Parsifal," Liszt's tribute to, 133

Pedal, hints on use of, 215-221; study, 219

Perelli, 154

Perkins, Charles C., 135

Philharmonic Society, New York, 262

Pitch, positive, 247; Thomas's ear for, 251

Pixis, 117

Pruckner, Dionys, 89, 91, 100, 107, 114, 125, 135

Pupils, unusual, 246

Raff, 89, 91, 96; friendship for Mason, 97, 124, 129, 133; in Weimar, 161-164; Mason's first impression of, 161; poverty, 162; arrested for debt, 162; prison comforts, 162; pianoforte-playing, 162; as a composer, 163; and Wagner propaganda, 134, 142, 144, 164

Remenyi and the "Kreutzer Sonata," 93; Liszt rebukes, 94; on Liszt's playing, 112; visits Liszt with Brahms, 127, 130, 151-153

Rhythmus exercises, 191 Moscheles on, 193

Richter, Ernst Friedrich, 48

Rohan, Prince de, 71-75

Rubinstein and Princess Marie Sayn-Wittgenstein, 95; on Liszt's playing, 111; Liszt's contrition, 144; Mason entertains at Weimar in 1854, 171; plays, 173; opposition to Wagner, 174; Liszt's opinion of, 175, 180, 221-236; and the autograph-hunter, 221; opinion of Americans, 222; style of playing, 224; favorite seat, 227; Bach's "Triple Concerto," 230; significant autograph, 232, 234; "Yankee Doodle" variations, 236, 268

Sanford, S. S., 261

Sayn-Wittgenstein, Furstin, 94; Princess Marie, 95

Schindler, Anton, 79; "Ami de Beethoven," 80; autograph, 80; and "Fifth Symphony," 81; persuaded to meet Von Wartensee, 82, and denouement, 83

Schlesinger, 33; daughter plays Chopin, 33

Schmidt, Henry, conducts first Beethoven symphony in America, 9, 13-15, 19

Schubert, 125, 169

Schuberth, Julius, 27, 31, 32

Schulhoff, 112

Schumann, his life at Leipsic, 38; autograph, 38; not appreciated, 39; Mason's enthusiasm on hearing S.'s "First Symphony," 40; Mason sends score to Boston, 40; attempts there to play it, 40; Webb's opinion of it, 41; S. laughed at by his publisher's clerks, 41; as a conductor, 41; absent-mindedness, 42; compared with Mendelssohn by Mason, 43; Mason calls on him, 43; second call and autograph, 44; Mason contrasts the personalities of S. and Wagner, 44; a minor concerto, 63; 132, 136, 137, 171, 209

Schumann, Clara, 43; autograph, 44

Shelley, H. R., 261

Sherwood, William H., 261

Sontag, Henriette, and autograph, 154

Stange, Adolph, Weimar reminiscences of, 165-168

Stavenhagen, 112

Stoerr, 92

"Tasso," Liszt at rehearsal of, 121

Tausig, 175, 176

Tedesco, 154

Tempo, hints on, 243-247; Chopin, electrocuting, 244; rubato, 246

Thalberg, 75; and Chopin, 76, 210; autograph, 212

Thaxter, Celia, 252-258

Theimer, 117

Thomas, Theodore, 111, 194; at twenty, 195; genius of conductorship, 196; Mason and Thomas Quartet, 196; as a violinist, 197; a great conductor, 198; confidence in himself, 200; portrait at twenty-four, 200; contribution to Mason calendar, 202; ear for positive pitch, 251, 292

Timm, Henry C., 58

Tomaschek, 66-70

Tracy, James M., 95

Vieuxtemps, autograph, 144, 148

Wagner, Albert, 48, 49

Wagner, Johanna, 154, 156

Wagner, Richard, 48; "Wer ist da?" 49; receives William Mason, 49; appearance in 1852, 50; compares Beethoven and Mendelssohn, 51; tribute to Beethoven, 52; lively manner, 54; gives Mason his autograph, 55, 56, 132, 133; Wagner cause in Weimar, 159; Mason on, 159, 179

Walbruehl, 92

Webb, George James, 8; and Boston Academy of Music, 9; opinion of Schumann, 41

Webb, Miss, 26; engaged and married to William Mason, 183

Weber, Dionysius, 36

Weimar, 86; Mason's reminiscences of Liszt at 86-182

Whiting, Arthur, 261, 271

Wieniawski, Henri, 109, 123, 124; at Weimar, 126, 150, 223

Wilhelmj, 150

"Yankee Doodle" and "Old Hundred," Mason asked to combine, 187, 189

* * * * *

FOOTNOTES:

[1] In a letter written twenty-four years later, in 1878, Liszt says of "Parsifal": "The composition of the first act is finished; in it are revealed the most wondrous depths and the most celestial heights of art."

[2] As I have elsewhere stated, I was the first to meet Rubinstein in Weimar, while Liszt was away.

[3] He was at Moscow, being first professor of pianoforte-playing at the Conservatory there.

End of Project Gutenberg's Memories of a Musical Life, by William Mason