[Autograph in the possession of Herr Hermann Scholtz,
Kammervirtuoso in Dresden.]
I thank you much, gentlemen, for the obliging letter that you have written me. Up to the present time I have had none but the most pleasant business relations with Mr. Hofmeister, who has the kindness to publish the greater part of my works in Germany. As I do not know very much of the laws which regulate literary and musical proprietorship in Saxony, I had spoken to him about the Beethoven Symphonies, of which I have undertaken the arrangement, or, more correctly speaking, the pianoforte score. To tell the truth, this work has, nevertheless, cost me some trouble; whether I am right or wrong, I think it sufficiently different from, not to say superior to, those of the same kind which have hitherto appeared. The recent publication of the same Symphonies, arranged by Mr. Kalkbrenner, makes me anxious that mine should not remain any longer in a portfolio. I intend also to finger them carefully, which, in addition to the indication of the different instruments (which is important in this kind of work), will most certainly make this edition much more complete. If, then, as I imagine, it is impossible for Mr. Hofmeister to publish them, I shall be very grateful if you will undertake it. The reputation of your house is European, and I perfectly remember having had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Raymond Hartel in Paris. It will be a pleasure to me to conclude this little business with you, at the rate of eight francs a page. Up to the present time I have only finished three Symphonies (that in A major), but I could promise to let you have the others successively, according as you might wish, or I could limit my work to the four most important Symphonies (if I may express my opinion), namely, the Pastoral, C minor, A major, and the Eroica. I think those are the ones which are most effective on the piano.
I start tomorrow for Vienna, where I expect to remain till the end of April. Please address to me to the care of Mr. Tobias Haslinger till the 25th of April, and after that to Mr. Ricordi, Milan, who has undertaken to forward me all my letters while I am in Italy. My compliments and affectionate thanks.
F. Liszt
13. To Robert Schumann
[Addressed to the celebrated German Tone-poet (1810-1856). Liszt had spoken of Schumann's Op. 5, 11, and 14 in the Gazette Musicale, 1837, with equal enthusiasm and understanding, which soon brought the two together.]
[Without a date; received by R. S. May 5th, 1838.]
My dear Monsieur Schumann,
I shall not attempt to tell you how grateful and touched I am by your friendly letter. Mademoiselle Wieck, whom I have been so happy as to meet here, will express to you, better than I can, all the sympathy, all the admiring affection I have for you. I have been such a nomad latterly that the pieces you were kind enough to address to me at Milan only reached me on the eve of my departure from Venice about a fortnight ago; and since then we have been talking so much of you, day and night, that it hardly occurred to me to write to you. Today, however, to my great astonishment, I get a fresh token of your friendly remembrance, and I certainly will not delay thanking you many times for it, so I have just left a charming party of very pretty women in order to write these few lines to you. But the truth is you need hardly thank me for this little sacrifice, for it is a great pleasure to me to be able to have a little chat with you.
The "Carneval" and the "Fantasiestucke" have interested me excessively. I play them really with delight, and God knows that I can't say as much of many things. To speak frankly and freely, it is absolutely only Chopin's compositions and yours that have a powerful interest for me.