Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt, Volume 1

F >> Francis Hueffer (translator) >> Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt, Volume 1

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By today's post I send you my "Lohengrin" article, which in the
first instance will appear in German in the "Illustrirte
Zeitung." Be kind enough to read the proof quickly and to return
it direct to Weber, Leipzig. It will probably be published in the
next number. About the French edition I shall arrange soon
afterwards; it will be the same size and type as my pamphlet on
the Goethe foundation, of which also I send you a copy today.
Brockhaus will be the publisher.

Have you received the hundred thalers? Your last letter has made
me very sad, but I do not relinquish all hope of leading the
somewhat difficult diplomatic transaction concerning your
"Siegfried" to a successful issue. Perhaps I shall succeed in
settling the matter by the middle of May. Tell me in round
figures what sum you require, and (quite entre nous, for I must
ask you specially to let nobody know) write me a full letter
which I can show to Z. You must excuse me for troubling you with
such things, and I am grieved, deeply grieved, that the matter
cannot be brought more simply to a good result; but, in my
opinion, it will be necessary for you to explain by letter your
position as well as the plan of the work and the artistic hopes
which may justly be founded upon it. I need not tell you that I
do not want this for myself. You know me, and are aware that you
can have implicit confidence in me.

Muller's letter I sent yesterday, after thinking from day to day
that I should return. He will doubtless soon write to you, and
you will find him a trustworthy, prudent friend, who genuinely
esteems you.

Can you tell me, under the seal of the most absolute secrecy,
whether the famous article on the Jews in music ("Das Judenthum
in der Musik") in Brendel's paper is by you?

The Princess has remained in Eilsen, still confined to her bed;
and I do not expect her till the end of this month. You may
imagine how deeply her long illness has grieved me.

Write soon, and do not forget to correct the proofs of the
"Illustrirte Zeitung" at once.

Your

F. LISZT.

April 9th, 1851. P.S.--The "Lohengrin" article must be signed
thus: "From the French of F. Liszt." Request the printer's reader
kindly not to omit this and to call the editor's special
attention to it.

59.

DEAREST LISZT,

I did not write to you at once in order to write to you more at
length and more calmly on a favourable day. Then came the number
of the "Illustrirte Zeitung" of April 12th, and once more I read
your printed article from beginning to end. It is difficult for
me to describe the impression your work of friendship has made on
me just at this time. I was once more cold and diffident, and
looked with something like bitter irony on the thought of having
to begin a new artistic labour. The artistic misery far and wide
around me was so great, my mood so hopeless, that I felt inclined
to laugh at myself when I thought, for example, of the
composition of my "Siegfried;" and this mood I transferred to all
my other works. Recently I glanced through my score of
"Lohengrin;" it filled me absolutely with disgust, and my
intermittent fits of laughter were not of a cheerful kind. Then
you approached me once more, and moved, delighted, warmed,
inspired me in such a manner that the bright tears welled forth,
and that once more I knew no greater delight than that of being
an artist and of creating works. I have no name for the effect
you have produced upon me. Everywhere around me I see nothing but
the most beautiful spring life, full of germs and blossoms, and
together with it such voluptuous pain, such painfully
intoxicating joy, such delight in being a man, in having a
beating heart--although it feel nothing but sorrow--that I regret
only to have to write all this to you.

And how strangely everything happens with you! Would I could
describe my love for you! There is no torture, but, on the other
hand, no joy, which does not vibrate in this love. One day
jealousy, fear of what is strange to me in your particular
nature, grieve me; I feel anxiety, trouble, yea doubt; and then
again something breaks forth in me like a fire in a wood, and
everything is devoured by this conflagration, which nothing but a
stream of the most blissful tears can extinguish at last. You are
a wonderful man, and wonderful is our love. If we had not loved,
we might have terribly hated, one another. All that I wanted to
write to you with well-balanced composure must now come out just
as it happens to strike me at the moment. My "Siegfried" I shall
begin at the commencement of May, happen what will. Perish all
guarantee of my existence! I shall not starve. For my book I have
at last a publisher, Avenarius, in Leipzig; he pays me one
hundred thalers; it is very little, but I don't think I can get
any more. Now and then you will put a groat by for me; and when
my necessity grows breast-high, you will help me with as much as
you may happen to have for a poor friend. Frau R. in D. will also
do her part off and on, and in the winter I shall earn again a
few louis d'or by conducting symphonies, so that I shall not go
to the devil after all if only my wife will keep calm. So let us
leave the Grand Duchess alone; I can and will not ask her for
anything even in the most indirect manner. If she made me an
offer of her own free will, it would touch and delight me, all
the more coming from a princess, but this possibility, even if it
never should happen, I must not turn into an impossibility by
asking her for a proof of her kindness. Away with all business
transactions as to this question! Up till now the sympathy of
that princely lady has made so beautiful an impression upon me,
that I do not wish to spoil it. Are we agreed? I think so.

You ask me about the "Judenthum." You must know that the article
is by me. Why do you ask? Not from fear, but only to avoid that
the Jews should drag this question into bare personality, I
appear in a pseudonymous capacity. I felt a long-repressed hatred
for this Jewry, and this hatred is as necessary to my nature as
gall is to the blood. An opportunity arose when their damnable
scribbling annoyed me most, and so I broke forth at last. It
seems to have made a tremendous impression, and that pleases me,
for I really wanted only to frighten them in this manner; that
they will remain the masters is as certain as that not our
princes, but the bankers and the Philistines, are nowadays our
masters. Towards Meyerbeer my position is a peculiar one. I do
not hate him, but he disgusts me beyond measure. This eternally
amiable and pleasant man reminds me of the most turbid, not to
say most vicious, period of my life, when he pretended to be my
protector; that was a period of connections and back stairs when
we are made fools of by our protectors, whom in our inmost heart
we do not like. This is a relation of the most perfect
dishonesty; neither party is sincere towards the other; one and
the other assume the appearance of affection, and both make use
of each other as long as their mutual interest requires it. For
the intentional impotence of his politeness towards me I do not
find fault with Meyerbeer; on the contrary, I am glad not to be
his debtor as deeply as, for example, B. But it was quite time
that I should free myself perfectly from this dishonest relation
towards him. Externally there was not the least occasion for it,
for even the experience that he was not sincere towards me would
not have surprised me, neither did it give me a right to be
angry, because at bottom I had to own that I had intentionally
deceived myself about him. But from inner causes arose the
necessity to relinquish all considerations of common prudence
with regard to him. As an artist I cannot exist before myself and
my friends, I cannot think or feel, without realizing and
confessing my absolute antagonism to Meyerbeer, and to this I am
driven with genuine desperation when I meet with the erroneous
opinion even amongst my friends that I have anything in common
with Meyerbeer. Before none of my friends I can appear in clear
and definite form, with all that I desire and feel, unless I
separate myself entirely from the nebulous outline in which many
see me. This is an act necessary for the perfect birth of my
matured nature; and if God wills, I hope to be of service to many
by performing this act so zealously.

What you will think of this--that--just imagine--I do not as yet
know exactly. I know who you are and perfectly feel what you are,
and yet it must appear to me as if in this point you could not as
yet be entirely your own self. But enough of this. There are
earthly things on which we may occasionally be of different
opinion without ever parting from each other in divine things. If
you don't approve of something here, shut your eyes to it.

Let me at last have some good news of you. In your most intimate
relations you seem to me so sadly placed that I am quite
melancholy about it. Is the illness of the Princess so serious
that, apart from its long duration, it inspires you with real
anxiety? I must almost fear this unless you reassure me about it.
Do this as soon as you can, and tell the highly esteemed lady how
cordially I sympathize with her sufferings.

Dear, dear Liszt, arrange that we soon may see each other.
Perhaps the Princess would benefit by Swiss air; send her here
and come with her.

I cannot go on today. I wanted to write to you about your Goethe
foundation, but must wait for a calmer hour to meet your splendid
idea with dignity.

Farewell, and be pressed to the heart of your

RICHARD WAGNER.

ENGE, ZURICH, April 18th, 1851.

I doubt whether the correction of the proof will still be
necessary, but have sent it to Leipzig nevertheless.

60.

Then we are to have "Young Siegfried"! You are truly a most
incredible fellow, to whom one must doff hat and bonnet three
times. The satisfactory settlement of this matter rejoices me
cordially; and, as you may imagine, I have perfect faith in your
work. But let us say nothing about it until you send in "Young
Siegfried" (July 1st, 1852), so as to avoid the useless
preliminary talk of people. Here nobody knows about it, excepting
Zigesar; and we are anxious to keep it from the public.
"Lohengrin" at its last performance (the fifth) on Sunday was
appreciated more than ever, and actors and orchestra also came
nearer to the understanding and the interpretation of the work.
The house was filled for the greater part, it is true, by
Erfurters, Naumburgers, and other curious people from the
neighbourhood, for, to speak candidly, our Weymar public, with
the exception of about a dozen persons, are not yet sufficiently
advanced to be in real sympathy with so extraordinary a work.
That "Lohengrin" has reached its fifth performance in one season
is a kind of miracle which must be attributed to the Court. The
Hereditary Grand Duchess had especially asked for this
performance on the occasion of her first visit to the theatre
after her confinement. From Leipzig came David and Moscheles,
from Halle Robert Franz, from Eisenach Kuhnstedt. Professor
Stahr, who has become a dear friend, and Fanny Lewald have been
here about a fortnight.

Stahr is going to write about "Lohengrin" in the National Zeitung
or Kolnische Zeitung. If after reading his article you feel
inclined to write him a few lines, send them to Weymar (Hotel Zum
Erbprinzen). Muller has written another "Lohengrin" article in
the Weimar Zeitung, which he has probably sent to you. After the
performance of "Lohengrin" I received your letter about the
Goethe foundation, and I thank you cordially for it. I may
mention, however, that perhaps no less than two years' time and
trouble will be required to make the idea of the Goethe
foundation a reality. I am prepared to devote that time to it,
because I am firmly convinced that without my activity the thing
here will simply come to nothing, as has already happened at
Berlin.

Should you not be inclined to publish your letter in its actual
form of a letter to me in some newspaper which is open to you? I
will send it back to you in a few days for that purpose, asking
you, however, to return it to me at Weymar as soon as you have
done with it.

The day after tomorrow I have to go to Eilsen for the third time,
but hope to be back here at Whitsuntide. At the close of the
theatrical season we shall have either "Tannhauser" or
"Lohengrin" once more. The direction of the former work I think I
may now leave to Gotze.

If possible, send me a copy of your autobiography direct to
Eilsen (Buckeburg). I can make good use of it in connection with
the pamphlet which is to be published (in French) in June by
Brockhaus. If your article on the Zurich theatre has appeared,
send it also to me at Eilsen, where I shall employ my time in
reading and working. I am most curious to know your views and
practical proposals with regard to theatrical matters, and I
shall be most ready to adopt your ideas as far as possible.

Draw up occasionally for me a repertory of earlier and modern
works which appear to you most adapted to further the cause of
art. At present I cannot help thinking it advisable to make some
eclectic concessions (alas! alas!) to the existing state of our
theatrical institutions.

Be well and active, dear, splendid friend, and soon give news to
your

F. LISZT.

WEYMAR, May 17th, 1851.

61.

BEST OF ALL FRIENDS,

I must reply to you at once about a few things which you ask me
in your letter received yesterday, so as to let you know how
matters stand. First of all (as is always the case when I have to
deal with you), I must wipe a blush of shame off my face before
answering you. Your wishes always concern me, and that in a sense
which must flatter me to the very core. You want a copy of my
autobiography in order to make use of it for your pamphlet. What
can I say to that? I will say nothing, but only reply that in
this instance my vanity is not sufficiently great to make me
carry my biography about with me. I do not possess it, and do not
know where to get it. If you really want to see it, you might
perhaps get it more easily from Weimar, if I told you exactly
where it is to be found. It appeared in the "Zeitung fur die
elegante Welt" in the year 1843, first quarterly issue, month of
February, I believe. But I can scarcely think that you will find
much in it beyond the confirmation of the fact that I too have
erred much in my artistic efforts, not being one of the elect
who, like Mendelssohn, received the only true, infallible,
"solid" food of art, like heavenly manna in their mouths, and who
therefore were able to say, "I have never erred." We poor earthly
worms can get only through error to a knowledge of truth, which
therefore we love passionately, like a conquered bride, and not
with the genteel approval with which we look upon a spouse
selected for us beforehand by the dear parents. At that time when
I wrote my autobiography by Laube's desire, I had, it is true,
finished my "Flying Dutchman" and sketched the poem of
"Tannhauser", but only through my completed "Tannhauser" and my
completed "Lohengrin" did I gain perfect clearness as to the
direction in which I had been impelled by unconscious instinct.
Later on, in connection with the edition of my operatic poems, I
shall take occasion to explain the process of development
observed in me; certain it is that nothing of this can be
contained in my autobiography. All the more interesting will it
be for me to see that direction judged from his own observation
by some one else, i.e., some one like you.

Concerning my last letter to you, I must ask you to be assured
that I wrote it without ostensible object. To you alone I wanted
to speak on a topic started by yourself, because I did not desire
to support an opinion in a general way, but to effect something
real, viz., the foundation of an original theatre. I therefore
did not want to address the public--which qua public is quite
useless for that purpose--but some one who has the intellect and
before all the energy to view distinctly the accomplishment of
such an object in given circumstances. If in the actual condition
of generally accepted opinion something is to be undertaken which
combats and denies that opinion as detrimental to art, this can
of course only be done by individuals. We cannot expect a better
general condition until the individual has become perfectly
strong in itself, for the general must proceed from individuals,
and for the present therefore we must be intent upon being ready
ourselves and communicating with none but those nearest akin to
us. In this spirit I look upon the theatre. If we want to work
for a rational condition of the theatre in all Germany, we shall
never achieve anything in the slightest degree rational unless we
begin at some given point, even the smallest. That point I
imagine I have found where an embodiment of genius and energy is
already acting in the right sense. Where else can you find such
things as are done at Weimar? But through whom is this done?
Through you alone! The Court may have the best possible
intention; it is not an artist to realize its intention or even
to conceive a distinct intention, for that in this case none but
an artist can do. This is the reason why I have applied to you
alone. I had no other intention. If you think it useful and
appropriate to make a wider use of my communication, you are
quite at liberty to do so. If you think that a totally
independent word of mine as to the position of poetry and the
fine arts, especially in reference to a given object, may not be
wholly without beneficial influence on many of those concerned,
before all if you think that the object in question may be
furthered by it, I ask you to dispose of my letter as your
property. I, however, cannot undertake its publication. I should
defeat my original purpose in doing so, besides which no journals
are open to me. In the "Deutsche Monatsschrift", to which I am
now and then asked to contribute, I do not like on principle to
treat the question in this form; our object would not be
furthered by it. Act therefore entirely according to your
judgment. If you think it useless, leave it alone. If, however,
you print the letter, omit what you think unfit for publicity. I
should not willingly make additions, because they would of
necessity have reference to the "original theatre," and about
that I should have to say a great deal to make my idea
comprehensible to the general public.

You have probably received my little pamphlet "Ein Theater in
Zurich." Much, yea most, in it will not suit you, for the
conditions here are too different from those of Weimar; but my
idea of the essence of the activity of the "original theatre" the
little work will make tolerably clear. In case you ask "whether I
wish to exclude altogether everything extraneous" I reply in
advance, Yes, for the present, and until the main object is
attained, but not for the future. The main object is this: that
the theatre imagined by me should, by the originality of its
work, gain perfect individual independence, should educate itself
to be a conscious individual. This object once attained, this
individual independence achieved, then, and then only, should it
exchange its achievements with those of other equally independent
theatrical individualities, and by means of this exchange be
fructified to ever greater capability and variety, extending in
this manner to wider and generally human circles. This
fructifying exchange can be successfully accomplished only when
receiving means at the same time giving; only he who can give can
receive with benefit to himself. At present our theatres are so
wholly dependent, so entirely without individuality, that they
can do nothing but receive, without having the power of really
appropriating what they receive. Our theatres are undeveloped
beings, pulpy, pappy molluscs, which can never bring forth a man.

I must refrain from saying any more on this head; it might easily
lead me to writing another book of four hundred pages, and the
writing of books I am determined to abandon in preference to
producing a work of art. Only this much I must add: through you
Weimar is already in a good way; proceed on that way of original
achievement with conscious principle, express that principle
distinctly, and by that means gain more and more participants in
your consciousness; by that means you can easily show how an
intention may gradually become a reality. Raff's opera has
pleased me immensely; that is right, and now onwards! or, to
speak plainly, it is your turn now,

Write an opera for Weimar, I entreat you; write it exactly for
the artists who are there, and who through your work will be
elevated, made more noble, more universal. Continue, if you like,
your plans for the Italians; there also, I feel sure, you can do
famous and useful things, but at the same time abide by what is
nearest to you, by what is your present home; where you are in
bodily presence, and with your whole mental energy, be there also
with your productive will; do not trouble yourself about the
other German theatres and their conditions. You do not want them
in order to achieve something beautiful and at the same time
useful. Candidly speaking, what do you seek just now, and with
your present activity amongst the Italians, otherwise than an
increase of your fame? Very well, but will that make you happy?
For that you no longer care! Other conditions are necessary to
give you happiness. Do something for your Weimar.

Well, I will not entreat you anymore for the present; you must
find out for yourself what you have to do.

One thing more, however: work thoroughly for the culture of your
theatrical people. You will get the desired artists from nowhere
unless you create them for yourself. Be careful to make your
singers first of all good actors; how is he to sing who cannot
speak and declaim well? Nothing can here be done in a casual
manner; you must proceed on principle and with expressed
intention. (For that reason think of the Goethe foundation!) To
speak plainly, you want a good stage-manager. Genast is a
splendid fellow, but he has grown old in routine; he does not
know, and will never understand, what has to be done. A man like
Eduard Devrient would be of excellent effect for the training of
your actors, for he knows what has to be done. (I admit the
difficulty of getting such a man.) You must further have an able
singing master. I believe that Gotze has good qualities for the
post, but he ought to have power as well; people ought to be
compelled to learn from him.

I am aware that a man does not become an artist by mere training,
but he can never become an artist unless his organic faculties
are healthily developed, and that is what is wanting amongst us
almost everywhere. Other things will be easily set right if you
are more careful in the choice of works selected for performance
than is generally the case amongst us. The coarse mixture of all
genres and all styles is the evil which prevents our actors from
gaining any kind of artistic consciousness. Gluck today,
Donizetti tomorrow, Weber today, Rossini or Auber tomorrow,
serious today, frivolous tomorrow--what is the result? That the
people can do neither Gluck nor Donizetti, neither the serious
nor the frivolous. How terrible also are the translations! People
get systematically accustomed to the absolute senselessness of
scenic representations; look therefore to a rational treatment of
the translated librettos. Before all, accustom your singers to
looking upon their work in the first instance as a dramatic task;
the accomplishment of their lyrical task will after that be an
easy matter. Works of the earlier French school are most adapted
to the purpose, because in them a natural dramatic intention is
most perceptible. Singers who cannot execute well and effectively
the "Water-carrier," by Cherubini, or "Joseph," by Mehul--how are
they to be able to master the (in that case) enormous
difficulties of, for example, one of my operas? The chief thing,
however, will always be new works and such works as are adapted
to our set of artists and have been written specially for this
theatre. But enough of preaching! If I have been almost
impertinent, you must forgive me. Today is my birthday, and you
could not have sent me a better present than your letter of
yesterday.

As yet Heaven has not given us fine weather, but I wait for the
first bright, sunny day to commence the poem of my "Young
Siegfried" with the pen. In my head it is ready. In July I hope
to send you the poem.

Your last news has once more made me desirous to write to the
Hereditary Grand Duchess. The contact with a sympathetic, noble
female nature is to me an infinitely joyful feeling, and that
feeling I should like to gain as a blessing for my impending
work. If you think that I might permit myself a slight deviation
from the ordinary official style towards this lady, I should ask
you one of these days to forward a letter from me to her. The
official style I cannot manage. Our dear, foolish Zigesar always
writes to me, "Ew. Wohlgeboren," etc. I wish he would leave that
alone. I am sorry when, in his kindness towards me, I stumble
over this kind of powder and pigtail business.

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