Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt, Volume 1
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Francis Hueffer (translator) >> Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt, Volume 1
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As regards "Tannhauser", I am glad to learn that you think of
complying with my wish to have it given in the form on which I
have fixed as the best. On that condition only a permanent
success of that opera at Weimar can be of interest to me. I had
not the slightest fault to find with you for thinking certain
omissions necessary when you first rehearsed "Tannhauser" at
Weimar. You did not do this because you objected to the omitted
parts, but because the artistic resources which were then at your
disposal filled you with natural diffidence. I know in particular
that in this manner arose the large cut in the finale of the
second act which displeased me so much when I attended the
rehearsal at Weimar. This is the scene where Elizabeth throws
herself in front of the knights to protect Tannhauser. In scenes
of this kind, before all others, my feeling for the perfect truth
and nature of things impels me to use all the means of art which
are within my grasp, and the grandeur of the situation can only
be rendered if not the slightest of its essential parts is
wanting. In this scene it is necessary that those who rush at
Tannhauser should not be driven away from him like children.
Their wrath, their fury, which impels them to the immediate
murder of the outlaw, should not be quelled in the turning of a
hand, but Elizabeth has to employ the highest force of despair to
quiet this roused sea of men, and finally to move their hearts to
pity. Only then both fury and love prove themselves to be true
and great; and just in the very gradual calming down of the
highest excitement, as represented in this scene, I discover my
greatest merit in the interest of dramatic truth. After you have
in "Lohengrin" solved much more difficult problems of
representation, it becomes--I tell you so openly, dear friend--
your duty to give this scene completely, and I know that success
will reward you. It is the same with all other things. In
Tannhauser's narration (Act III.) the trombones in the
reminiscence of Rome cannot produce the right impression unless
this theme has before been heard completely and in fullest
splendour, as I give it in the instrumental introduction to the
last act, etc. I ask you therefore to adhere strictly to the full
score which I had sent to you from Dresden with all my marks; and
I will only add that the song of Tannhauser in the first act
should be sung in its entirety (the three verses): the real
climax, especially in its effect upon Venus, is otherwise totally
lost.
Concerning the new conclusion of the last act, I was very angry
that it was not given at Weimar from the first, as I assumed at
the time that it would be. Even then I did not want a new public
to know the first version, which was caused by a misapprehension
on my part of the essence of the scene, as to which unfortunately
only the first performance at Dresden enlightened me. Nothing
that lies within the possibilities of representation on the stage
should be only thought or indicated, but everything should be
actually shown. The magical illumination of the Venusberg was,
however, no more than an indication; the magic event becomes
reality only if Venus herself appears and is heard. This is so
true that the afterthought of this situation brought me great
wealth of music; consider the scene with Venus in the last act,
and you will agree with me that the previous version stands to it
in the relation of an engraving to an oil picture. It is just the
same with the appearance of the body of Elizabeth. When
Tannhauser sinks down by the side of that body, and sighs, "Holy
Elizabeth, pray for me!" that is realized which was formerly only
indicated.
As I said before, if the performance of "Tannhauser" in Weimar
cannot be a complete one, it loses all value for me, for in that
case I shall not have drawn the public up to me, but shall have
accommodated myself to the public, and that I do not care to do
any longer.
Through B. I hear that the "Liebesmahl der Apostel" is on
occasion to be given at Weimar. I call your attention to the fact
that the orchestration of this work was designed for a vast space
(the Frauenkirche of Dresden) and for a chorus of a thousand men.
For a smaller room and a less numerous chorus the brass orchestra
should be reduced to the usual limits, and especially the four
trumpets should be reduced to two. That reduction will have no
great difficulties, and B., if I ask him, will be quite able to
perform the task well.
To Princees Wittgenstein, who has delighted me with a very
friendly letter, I ask you to express my best thanks for her
kindness. The deep interest which she has again shown in my
"Lohengrin", particularly at the last representation, is of
priceless value to me. Her intelligent remarks on the character
of Ortrud attracted me especially, as well as the comparison she
makes between the efforts of the previous and the actual
representative of that part. To which side of the question I
incline your valued friend will recognize at once when I explain
to her my view of the character by simply saying that Ortrud is a
woman who does not know love. By this everything that is most
terrible is expressed. Politics are her essence. A political man
is repulsive, but a political woman is horrible. This horror I
had to represent. There is a kind of love in this woman, the love
of the past, of dead generations, the terribly insane love of
ancestral pride which finds its expression in the hatred of
everything living and actually existing. In man this love is
ludicrous, but in woman it is terrible, because a woman, with her
strong natural desire for love, must love something; and
ancestral pride, the longing after the past, turns in consequence
to murderous fanaticism. In history there are no more cruel
phenomena than political women. It is not therefore jealousy of
Elsa perhaps for the sake of Frederick which inspires Ortrud, but
her whole passion is revealed only in the scene of the second act
where, after Elsa's disappearance from the balcony, she rises
from the steps of the minster, and invokes her old, long-
forgotten gods. She is a reactionary person who thinks only of
the old and hates everything new in the most ferocious meaning of
the word; she would exterminate the world and nature to give new
life to her decayed gods. But this is not merely an obstinate,
morbid mood in Ortrud; her passion holds her with the full weight
of a misguided, undeveloped, objectless feminine desire for love:
for that reason she is terribly grand. No littleness of any kind
must occur in this representation; she must never appear simply
malicious or annoyed; every utterance of her irony, her
treachery, must transparently show the full force of the terrible
madness which can be satisfied alone by the destruction of others
or by her own destruction.
She of the two actresses who approaches this intention most
nearly must therefore be thought the better of the two.
Once more, dear friend, my best compliments to the Princess, and
my warmest thanks for her communication. Permit me to recall to
your memory the medallion I asked you for; it will give great
pleasure to me.
Farewell, best of friends, and make me soon happy again by a few
lines from you.
Wholly thine,
RICHARD WAGNER.
ZURICH, January 30th, 1852.
73.
DEAREST FRIEND,
I send you enclosed an explanation of my "Tannhauser" overture,
written for our public here, which, I have reason to hope, will
soon hear a very good performance of that composition. When I had
finished this programme, I read over once more what you have
written about this overture, and had again to give way to the
utmost astonishment. Herwegh has had the same experience with
regard to your work. Only he can fail to understand your style
who does not understand the music either; to see how you express
precisely and keenly in words the feelings which music alone can
evoke in us fills every one with delight who himself experiences
those feelings without finding words for them. This perusal,
which really filled me with astonishment, has once more roused in
me the wish, expressed to you some years ago, that you might
become your own poet. You have the necessary qualities as much as
any one. Write French or Italian verse; in that direction you
might produce something quite new and cause a great revolution.
Let me hear about this from you, dearest friend.
Of my health B. probably gives you news occasionally; he writes
to me more frequently now, and I always reply to him. That B.'s
article about the S. has caused such a disastrous sensation
amongst you confirms my opinion of the deep decay of our artistic
and public conditions.
One thing grieves me: that the Goethe foundation had applied to
the S.; and one thing pleases me: that her assistance came to
nothing, and that a complete breach with the spurious element was
thus effected.
My letter to you about the Goethe foundation will, with your
permission, be published; many things are said in it which had to
be said at this moment, and which, if I had wished to say them in
a new and different form, would have withdrawn me again from my
artistic projects. I will have nothing more to do with
literature. As soon as the air grows a little warm and clear the
poem will be begun.
Let me hear from you again.
Wholly thine,
RICHARD WAGNER.
ZURICH, March 4th, 1852.
74.
How are you, most excellent of men? It is too long since I heard
from you. The rehearsals of Cellini, many visits from abroad,
several pieces and transcriptions for the pianoforte, have much
occupied my time during the last month. Of the performance of
Berlioz's opera H. gives a most detailed account in Brendel's
paper. This much I may add: that the motives which made me select
this opera proved to be right and favourable to the further
progress of my work here. "Why Cellini at Weymar?" is a question
which I need not answer to the first comer, but the practical
solution of which will be such that we may be satisfied with it.
Perhaps you yourself did not at first look upon the thing in the
practical light in which it will appear to you later on. In any
case I believe that you will agree with me, unless you are
inclined to aim at thin air. I have just been positively informed
that you have handed in your petition for a free pardon at
Dresden. How is this? Write to me as to this point, in perfect
reliance on my discretion. I might possibly be of service to you
in the matter.
A few days ago I saw here Madame B. D. She looks very well; and
her husband is a handsome, decent gentleman. Amongst other
things, she told me that she had been unable to understand the
part of your preface which referred to her, and that her husband,
after reading the passage several times, had remained in the same
state of ignorance. As to the rest, she speaks well of you, and
wishes very much to see "Lohengrin" here. Unfortunately Fraulein
Fastlinger has left for Dresden, and Frau Knopp is continually
ill, so that there is little hope of an immediate performance of
that opera, for which even those are longing who formerly were of
the opposition. Moreover, the deep court mourning in consequence
of the death of Duchess Bernhard leaves me little hope that a
performance of "Lohengrin" will be given by command. For next
season, in February at the latest, the "Flying Dutchman" is set
down.
It would be a beautiful and gladsome thing if by that time you
were back in Germany. We should then sing your finale of
"Tannhauser", "Er kehrt zuruck," with seven times seventy-seven
throats and hearts. Have you any particular instructions for your
"Liebesmahl der Apostel"? I think of producing it here in the
course of the summer. At the next concert of the Gesangverein we
shall have your "Faust" overture.
Farewell. Be as much as possible at peace with yourself and
others, and write soon to your cordial and devoted friend,
F. LISZT.
WEYMAR, April 7th, 1852.
75.
My best thanks, dearest friend, for your last letter, which came
to me quite unexpectedly, for you have weaned me from expecting
letters from you, so seldom do you write to me. H. also has again
been owing me an answer some time.
I feel so-so; the beautiful spring weather cheers me after a
somewhat dreary winter, and I shall begin my poem again. If I
lived in Naples, or Andalusia, or one of the Antilles, I should
write a great deal more poetry and music than in our grey, misty
climate, which disposes one only to abstraction. I am in the
midst of rehearsing my "Flying Dutchman". Some of my friends here
would not leave me in peace; having heard my "Tannhauser"
overture, they wanted absolutely to have a taste of one of my
operas. I allowed myself at last to be talked over, and am now
about to introduce to the imagination of my friends a travesty of
my opera, as closely resembling it as possible. Everything as
regards scenery and orchestra is done to help that resemblance;
the singers are not a bit better or worse than everywhere else;
so I shall find out what can be done by the best intentions and a
fabulous faith in me. So much I am confident in saying, that the
performance would not be uninteresting to you, and therefore I
invite you quite seriously, after receipt of this letter, to get
leave for a week, trust yourself to the railway, and visit me at
Zurich. The first performance takes place Wednesday, April 21st,
and between that and May 1st there will be two repetitions. Are
you no longer capable of this piece of folly? I am sure that you
can if you will, and you would rejoice in the joy which your
visit would give to me. Nothing else you could do in these days
would compensate you for it. Do come! To Germany I shall not
return; I have no hope and no wish for it. There are too few
people whom I should care to see again, and those few I should
like to see anywhere but in Germany. You, my dearest friend, for
example, I should like to see in Switzerland. Please contradict
most positively the rumour that I have pleaded for grace; if it
were to spread and to be seriously believed, I should feel
compelled to make a public declaration, which, for every reason,
I should like to avoid.
Leave this matter alone; if the return to Germany were open to
me, I should certainly use it only to make perhaps an incognito
visit to you at Weimar.
Apropos! Ernst was here, and gave concerts, and he told me that
the hope of seeing the "Flying Dutchman" had induced him to
remain in Switzerland till the end of this month. You would
therefore see him too.
Bring the Hereditary Grand Duchess along with you. As you are
going to give the "Flying Dutchman" at Weimar, you would be
interested to see the scenic arrangements which I have made for a
small stage.
What is this you have heard about me in connection with your
performance of "Cellini"? You seem to suppose that I am hostile
to it. Of this error I want you to get rid. I look upon your
undertaking as a purely personal matter, inspired by your liking
for Berlioz; what a beast I should be if I were to criticize that
liking and that undertaking! If every one would follow the inner
voice of his heart as you do, or, better still, if every one had
a heart for such a voice as you have, things would soon be
changed. Here again I must rejoice in you. But where a pure
matter of the heart is submitted to speculative reason, I must
find that mistakes creep in which a third person can perceive. In
the consequences which, as I am told, you expect from the
performance of "Cellini", I cannot believe; that is all. But can
this my unbelief in any way modify my judgment of your action?
Not in the least. With my whole heart I say, you have acted
rightly, and I wish that I could say as much to many people.
I am sorry that you have not produced "Lohengrin" again; you were
in the right swing with it this season. What a pity that only a
single performance should have been possible! This shows of what
use half a year may be.
That Madame D. and her husband were unable to understand the
passage in my preface proves their exceedingly fine tact. This
was, no doubt, the best way for them of saving themselves a
painful impression, and I am glad that they were able to do this,
for it was really and truly far from my mind to annoy them. Ah, I
wish I could this summer make at last a beautiful journey, and
that I knew how to set about it! To this sigh only my own voice
replies as echo from the wall of leather which surrounds me. This
longing for a journey is so great in me that it has already
inspired me with thoughts of robbery and murder against
Rothschild and Co. We sedentary animals scarcely deserve to be
called men. How many things we might enjoy if we did not always
sacrifice them to that damnable "organ of sitting still."
Alas! this "organ of sitting still" is the real lawgiver of all
civilized humanity. We are to sit or at best to stand, never to
walk, much less to run for once in a while. My hero is the "bold
runner Achilles." I would rather run to death than sit still and
get sick. That is your opinion also, is it not? and therefore I
may expect you for the Flying, not the lying-down, Dutchman.
We shall see. Live gloriously and well! Wholly thine,
RICHARD WAGNER.
ZURICH, April 13th, 1852.
76.
That I was unable to fly to your "Flying Dutchman" was not my
fault; how genuinely glad I should be to see you again, and what
beautiful enjoyment your splendid work would give me, I need not
tell you, most excellent friend. The news I received from various
sides as to the performances of the "Flying Dutchman" could not
but greatly please me. Next winter you shall have news of our
performance at Weymar, for we must not delay it any longer, and
hope that it will be a success on the part of the artists, for as
to the work itself there can be no question. Be kind enough to
let me have as soon as possible the exact alterations, additions,
and omissions you have made in the score, for I want to have the
copies made at once. Quite lately I again expressed the principle
that our first and greatest task in Weymar is to give the operas
of Wagner exactly selon le bon plaisir de l'auteur [according to
the good pleasure of the author]. With this you will, no doubt,
agree, and in consequence we shall, as before, be bound to give
"Lohengrin" without cut and to study the whole finale of the
second act of "Tannhauser," with the exception of the little cut
in the adagio. This will be done at our next representation. Send
me therefore the necessary instructions about the study of the
"Flying Dutchman," and be assured that I shall not deviate from
them by a hair's breadth.
For your kind offer of the designs I thank you, and accept it
eagerly. Send them to me soon; we have here a very clever young
scene-painter and engineer, Herr Handel, late of the Hamburg
theatre, who will take every care to comply with your demands. I
have advised Baron von Beaulieu-Marconnay, the intendant, of the
impending arrival of your designs, and the honorarium (five louis
d'or) will be sent to you by the end of August. If you would
rather have this small sum at once, I will remit it by return.
I have asked B. to tell you of the crime committed by me during
the visit of his Majesty the Emperor of Russia. "Tannhauser" had
been announced for the evening, when it was hoped that his
Majesty would visit the theatre. Knopp and Milde wereunable to
sing a note, and Frau von Milde also was hoarse. It was
impossible to give a whole opera, so I coolly took the first act
of "Tannhauser" as far as the end of the Pilgrims' Chorus,
closing in G major, then after a pause commenced again in G major
with the prelude to the third act of "Lohengrin," and so
continued with the whole act to the end of the duet, winding up
the performance with the overture "Carneval Romain" and the
second act of "Benvenuto Cellini," omitting the baritone air.
Fraulein Fromann was present, and has probably written to you
about it.
By the end of this month the Empress of Russia is expected, and
"Tannhauser" is again announced for the 31st. Beck takes the part
of "Tannhauser," and the entire finale of the second act will be
sung. The new close, however, must unfortunately wait till next
season, for a new scene is being painted for it, which cannot be
finished; everything else is ready and copied out.
For next season we have Spohr's "Faust," with new recitatives,
and shall give Schumann's "Manfred" at the beginning of June. Of
the Ballenstedt Musical Festival, with the "Tannhauser" overture,
and the "Liebesmahl der Apostel," you have probably heard.
Your "Faust" overture made a sensation, and went well.
Farewell, and have a go at "Siegfried."
Your
F. L.
77.
DEAREST FRIEND,
Today I write only a few hurried lines in order to avoid a
misunderstanding. Herr C. has made the sketches for the "Flying
Dutchman;" but, as I look at his work, it weighs heavily on my
heart that you are to pay five louis d'or for it, which,
according to my inmost conviction, it is not worth. (The man is
altogether extremely mediocre, and the only thing that attracted
my attention towards him was that he became acquainted with the
subject under my own extremely painstaking direction, and in
accordance with my most special intentions.) I have told him that
the management at Weimar had a good scene-painter, and that you
would only make occasional use of his sketches; if he would send
them to you, you could offer him no more than the small
remuneration of fifty francs.
If he sends the sketches, please make Herr von Beaulieu
acquainted with this arrangement, so that he may reply to him in
the sense above indicated and send him the honorarium to his own
address.
Pardon me, but I could not make up my mind to allow you to pay
five louis d'or for this trifle. About everything else I shall
write to you at greater length within the next few days.
Farewell.
Your
RICHARD WAGNER
ZURICH, May 25th, 1852
78.
DEAREST FRIEND,
In addition to my last hurried lines, I write to you today a
little more comprehensively. First of all, I must thank you for
the news of the continued activity which you employ in the
propaganda of my works. Expressions of praise on that account I
omit once for all, for you are far above praise. Of the
performance of the "Faust" overture I had heard nothing beyond
your own brief notice. I cannot be angry with this composition,
although many detached things in it would not now flow from my
pen; especially the somewhat too plentiful brass is no longer to
my mind. If I knew that the Hartels would pay me a nice sum for
it, I should be almost inclined to publish the full score,
together with a pianoforte arrangement, which H. would have to
make; but I should like to be warmly persuaded to this, for on my
own account I do not care to propose such things. Am I really
going to figure at the next Musical Festival? People say that I
am a famous "made" man; if that is true, who is the maker? Do not
forget to add to the programme the explanation of the
"Tannhauser" overture which I wrote last winter for the Zurich
performance, and which I consider indispensable, because it gives
briefly a condensed picture of the poetic subject, which is
conceived in the overture quite differently from what it is in
the opera itself. (In that sense you are quite right in saying
that this overture is altogether a work by itself.) A copy of my
explanation you probably possess; if not, Uhlig has plenty.
I really cannot understand why our numberless male choir
festivals, etc., have never yet produced the "Liebesmahl der
Apostel." But so many things are now to me inconceivable and yet
quite conceivable. In a large room, and with a strong chorus, you
may leave the instrumentation as it is; but I call your attention
to the fact that at Dresden I was compelled, after certain
important divisions of the composition, to have the key indicated
by two harps: the larger the chorus, the more inevitable is the
dropping of the pitch from time to time; but of this you would
probably have thought yourself.
Concerning the (future) complete performance of "Tannhauser" I
have still many things on my heart, of which I do not find it
easy to unburden myself. First, certain minor matters. I do not
know exactly whether Walther von der Vogelweide in the contest of
the minstrels sang his song with you in the original B flat major
or in C major. There is here some inconsistency. I am aware that
B flat does not agree with the rest of the somewhat high-lying
part, and a singer who has the voice for the whole part cannot
make much effect in B flat, for which reason I was compelled at
Dresden to transpose the piece to C. But this C major is
altogether out of relation to the other songs of the singers'
contest, and more especially it destroys the transition to the
bright tone of the ensuing song of "Tannhauser," who, with his C
major, is supposed to go beyond Walther. Apart from this, the
song of Walther loses by means of this higher C major much of the
calm dignity which is its character. The dilemma can be solved
only by the part of Walther being sung by a low tenor and that of
Heinrich der Schreiber by a high tenor. The two parts therefore
must be rewritten, and in all the ensembles Walther should sing
the notes which in the score are assigned to Heinrich der
Schreiber, and vice versa. Only in the first finale Walther
retains all the solo passages. This is what I should like. I
further hope that you will give the scene between Venus and
Tannhauser in its entirety. The necessity of three verses of the
"Tannhauser" song I have, I believe, already pointed out to you.
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