“You and God!
“To death and after death. In the kingdom on the other side I remain,
“Your faithful,
“Ludwig.”
To Hans von Bülow likewise he expressed his thanks in a flattering letter, which was accompanied by a diamond ring; and he also caused diamond rings to be conveyed to Herr and Frau Schnorr von Carolsfeld, in which souvenirs of the festival were ingeniously set.
[1] In a dedication of the pianoforte score of Die Walküre (July 1864). [↑]
[2] Semper some years afterwards made use of the same plan, though somewhat reduced in scale, when he built the Richard Wagner Theatre in Bayreuth. [↑]
[3] Ludwig II. and Richard Wagner continually exchanged letters. They are written in an exceedingly warm and exalted tone, but turn chiefly on musical subjects. Only a very small number of them are accessible to the public. After the death of the King the Bavarian Government and Wagner’s heirs agreed that Ludwig’s letters should be given up to the Bavarian Government, which now preserves them under lock and key. Wagner’s letters, on the other hand, were sent back to his relations.
The periodical, Die Wage, published in its second year several interesting letters from Ludwig to his friend which are affirmed to be absolutely authentic, and which I have cited in part as above. [↑]
[4] In a letter, dated 5th May, to Herr Uhl, the editor of the Wiener Botschafter. [↑]