Monday, May 21st, 1855
138. To Anton Rubinstein
My dear Rubinstein,
On my return from the Musical Festival at Dusseldorf, where I hoped to meet you, I found the parcel of oeuvres choisies and the portrait, which is very successful, of Van II. I hasten to give you my best thanks for this first sending, begging you not to forget your promise to complete, in the course of their publication, the collection of your works, which have for me always a double interest of Art and friendship. This morning we had a taste, with Singer and Cossmann, of the Trio in G minor, of which I had kept a special recollection—and afterwards Princess Marie Wittgenstein (who commissions me to give all her thanks to you, until she can have the pleasure of giving them to you in person) demanded the pieces dedicated to her, which had complete success. A propos of dedications, the Grand Duchess Sophie is enchanted with the "Persische Lieder" ["Persian Songs">[, and this she has probably already intimated to you. Shortly before her departure for Dusseldorf she sang several of them over again, taking more and more liking to them. Decidedly the first impression that these "Lieder" made on me, when you showed them to me, and when I begged you to publish them without delay, was just, and I have not been deceived in predicting for them a quasi-popular success. Mdlle. Genast, who has returned from Berlin, tells me that she made a furor there with "Wenn es doch immer so bliebe!" ["Oh, could it remain so for ever!">[ But, unfortunately, as an older song has it, "it cannot remain so for ever under the changing moon!" The last time I was passing through Leipzig (where they gave my "Ave Maria" exceedingly well at the Catholic Church), I told Gotze to appropriate to himself three or four of your "Persische Lieder," which he will sing splendidly; and, as he comes here pretty often, I will beg him to give us the first hearing of them at some Court concert. The Grand Duchess Olga is expected for the day after tomorrow; and if, as is probable, they treat her to a little concert, I shall take advantage of the opportunity to make her become better acquainted with the Trios you dedicated to her, and which I consider as among your best works. In the parcel I noticed the absence of "L'Album de Kamennoi-Ostrow," which I should like to make known, or, better still, to offer from you to H.I.H. the Dowager Grand Duchess, and which I want you to send me for this purpose.
If by chance you pass through Bonn, do not forget to go and see Professor Kilian, who has been interested in you from very old times, and with whom we talked much of you and your works during the journey from Cologne to Dusseldorf.
Write me word soon what you are doing now. I, for my part, shall spend the summer at Weymar, up to the time of my journey to Gran (June-August). I count on your promise to come and see me in the autumn, unless your road should lead you into these parts sooner. You may be very sure of being always most welcome at the Altenburg—and, even if a number of those holding our musical opinions should meet still less often than in the past, that would not in any way influence the very sincere feelings of friendship and esteem which I bear towards you and keep towards you invariably. When we see each other again, you will find my "Divina Commedia" pretty far advanced; I have sketched a plan of it (a Symphony in three parts: the two first, "Hell" and "Purgatory," exclusively instrumental; the third, "Paradise," with chorus): but I cannot set myself entirely to this work until I have finished the new score of my choruses from Herder's "Prometheus," which I am rewriting in order to have it printed shortly after the publication of my Symphonic Poems, six of which will come out next October.
I am very curious to see what your new case of manuscripts will contain. Have you set to work on "Paradise Lost"? I think that would be the most opportune work for taking possession of your fame as a composer.
A thousand cordial expressions of friendship, and
Yours ever,
F. Liszt