There, I am at the end of my paper just as I was going to begin in good earnest; it is quite as well, for I have nothing new to say, but only something old,—namely, my love to you all, and my longing to be with you once more. Well, next May I shall probably give one of my awkward knocks at your door. For the present, good-by; best love to Emily, Serena, and Felix, who I am sure speaks French by this time, or at any rate soon will. And now enough,—too much perhaps.
Ever yours,
Felix M. B.
Moscheles sent Mendelssohn his Overture to Joan of Arc; and two Songs on words by Uhland, “The Smith” and “In Autumn.”
Düsseldorf, March 25, 1835.
My dear Moscheles,—A thousand thanks for your kindness in sending me the two Songs and the Overture, and for the nice letter which came with them. It is too good of you. In your busy life, with so many demands on your time, you actually copy out music for me, and take pleasure in giving me pleasure! The mere sight of the parcel gladdened my very heart; and now that I have the contents, I long to hear the whole Overture, instead of having to fancy the single parts linked together. Now I have a clearer conception of the whole work, and am particularly delighted with the French March in the middle,—which, I am sure, must have a capital effect,—then the theme in minor at the end, and indeed the whole idea and conception. The Allegro Spiritoso is, I suppose, the principal section of the work; at least I cannot fancy it otherwise. And what about the end? Do you finish in minor with the Funeral March, or are “all standards slowly lowered at the king’s command”? The beginning of the minor March which you have written out for me is so fine that I long to know its conclusion. The March, I suppose, comes in towards the end; the trombones in answer to the muted Quartet must have a splendid effect.
You have given me nearly as much pleasure by the two Songs. They are so intrinsically German, not a bit French or English, never aiming at effect, and therefore producing the most agreeable effect upon me; for I cannot say how glad I am that you, in the midst of all your successes, have not lost the taste or love for such small, unobtrusive, beautiful songs. There is something truly artistic and truly German in that,—just what I delight to find in you. I like the Song in B major best, particularly the charming close, where the voice descends from F sharp while the accompaniment keeps on hammering away. So, too, the piano to the words “black forge” is delightful. In the Song in F, I particularly like the recurrence of the subject creeping in through the accompaniment at the words, “Ah, those were lovely dreams!” But will you allow me to mention a trifling matter with which I do not quite agree? There are a few nuances in the declamation,—or whatever else I may call it,—just at the beginning, to the words, “Yonder at the garden entrance,” where the quiet fall of the melody appears out of keeping, and where, musically speaking, the two half-bars seem to drag somewhat. I fancy it would sound livelier if they were omitted, and the melody went on without delay, so that, in the following bars, the words would not be dwelt upon at such length. Thus the word “glad” would get into the first bar, and the word “chords” into the second. This is still more striking at the word “soul,” in B major, where I feel confident the melody should go on without rest, as the verse goes on,—the word “again” belonging to “dost thou know,” according to the meaning of the text. So, also, I was struck by the long pause preceding the words “look around,” the accompaniment going on to A major, and then by the spinning out of the words “around them.” I fancy you might leave out one or two bars altogether.
But when I remember that I am writing to you, Moscheles, and that from me to you all this is very presumptuous, I am half afraid you will be offended—but no, I don’t mean that either, for I know you would not take offence at my straight-forwardness. If I tell you honestly where I think you have been less successful, it shows you that I am sincere where I appreciate, and that I thank you for all the rest.