Letters of Franz Liszt, vol 2, From Rome to the End | Page 8

in Milan. 1846 392. Frau Charlotte Moscheles (?). June 22nd, 1848 393. Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst. May 30th, 1801 394. Josef Dessauer (?). Beginning of the fifties 395. Testimonial for Joachim Raff. Beginning of the fifties. 396. Dr. Eduard Hanslick in Vienna. January 31st, 1856. 397. Minister von Bach in Vienna. September 18th 398. ? in Leipzig. Spring, 1859 399. Dr. Eduard Hanslick. September 24th, 1859

THE LETTERS OF FRANZ LISZT, VOLUME 2: FROM ROME TO THE END

1. To Dr. Franz Brendel
[Rome,] December 20th, 1861
Dear Friend,
For the New Year I bring you nothing new; my soon ageing attachment and friendship remain unalterably yours. Let me hope that it will be granted to me to give you more proof of it from year to year.
Since the beginning of October I have remained without news from Germany. How are my friends Bronsart, Draseke, Damrosch, Weissheimer? Give them my heartiest greetings, and let me see some notices of the onward endeavors and experiences of these my young friends, as also of the doings of the Redactions-Hohle [Editorial den] and the details of the Euterpe concerts.
Please send the numbers of the paper, from October onwards, to me at the address of the library Spithover-Monaldini, Piazza di Spagna, Rome. Address your letter "Herrn Commandeur Liszt," Via Felice 113. "Signor Commendatore" is my title here; but don't be afraid that any Don Juan will stab me--still less that on my return to Germany I shall appear in your Redactions-Hohle as a guest turned to stone!--
Of myself I have really little to tell you. Although my acquaintance here is tolerably extensive and of an attractive kind (if not exactly musical!), I live on the whole more retired than was possible to me in Germany. The morning hours are devoted to my work, and often a couple of hours in the evening also. I hope to have entirely finished the Elizabeth in three months. Until then I can undertake nothing else, as this work completely absorbs me. Very soon I will decide whether I come to Germany next summer or not. Possibly I shall go to Athens in April-- without thereby forgetting the Athens of the elms! .--.
First send me the paper, that I may not run quite wild in musical matters. At Spithover's, where I regularly read the papers, there are only the Augsburger Allgemeine, the Berlin Stern-Zeitung [Doubtless the Kreusseitung], and several French and English papers, which contain as good as nothing of what I care about in the domain of music.
Julius Schuberth wrote a most friendly letter to me lately, and asks me which of Draseke's works I could recommend to him next for publication. To tell the truth it is very difficult for me in Rome to put myself in any publisher's shoes, even in so genial a man's as Julius Schuberth. In spite of this I shall gladly take an opportunity of answering him, and shall advise him to consult with Draseke himself as to the most advisable opportunity of publishing this or that Opus of his, if a doubt should actually come over our Julius as to whether his publisher's omniscience were sufficiently enlightened on the matter!--
Remember me most kindly to your wife.
Yours most sincerely,
F. Liszt
Please give my best greetings to Kahnt. Later on I shall beg him for a copy of my songs for a very charming Roman lady.

2. To A.W. Gottschalg, Cantor and Organist in Tieffurt
["Der legendarische Cantor" [the legendary Cantor] the Master jokingly named this faithful friend of his. "I value him as a thoroughly honest, able, earnestly striving and meritorious comrade in Art, and interest myself in the further progress-- which is his due," wrote Liszt to the late Schuberth. Meanwhile Gottschalg was long ago advanced to the post of Court organist in Weimar. He is widely known as the editor of the "Chorgesang" [chorus singing] and of the "Urania."]
Dear Friend,
Although I cannot think otherwise than that you remain ever equally true to me, yet the living expression of your kindly feelings towards me is always a pleasure and a comfort. First of all then accept my warmest thanks for your two letters, which bring back to me the best impressions of your morning and evening visits to me in my blue room on the Altenburg.
It goes without saying that I have no objection to make to the publication of the Andante from the Berg Symphony in the Jubilee Album in honor of Johann Schneider. I only beg, dear friend, that you will look the proof over accurately, and carefully correct any omissions or mistakes in the manuscript.
I should be very glad if I could send you a new Organ work, but unfortunately all incentive to that sort of work is wanting to me here; and until the Tieffurt Cantor makes a pilgrimage to Rome all my organ wares will