It is a very agreeable satisfaction to me that you, dear friend, have found some interest in the scores. For, however others may judge of the things, they are for me the necessary developments of my inner experiences, which have brought me to the conviction that invention and feeling are not so entirely evil in Art. Certainly you very rightly observe that the forms (which are too often changed by quite respectable people into formulas) "First Subject, Middle Subject, After Subject, etc., may very much grow into a habit, because they must be so thoroughly natural, primitive, and very easily intelligible." Without making the slightest objection to this opinion, I only beg for permission to be allowed to decide upon the forms by the contents, and even should this permission be withheld from me from the side of the most commendable criticism, I shall none the less go on in my own modest way quite cheerfully. After all, in the end it comes principally to this—WHAT the ideas are, and HOW they are carried out and worked up—and that leads us always back to the FEELING and INVENTION, if we would not scramble and struggle in the rut of a mere trade.
When is your Method of teaching coming out? I rejoice beforehand at all the incitement and forcible matter contained in it. You will shortly receive a circular with a letter from E. Hallberger (Stuttgart), who asks me to undertake the choice of pieces to appear in his edition of the "Pianoforte." Do send something soon to it; it is to be hoped that the establishing and spreading of this collection will prove quite satisfactory.
Fare you well in your work, dear friend, and think affectionately of
Yours ever sincerely,
F. Liszt
Weymar, July 9th, 1856.
P.S.—In your next letter send me your exact address.
155. To Hoffmann von Fallersleben
[The well-known poet (1798-1874), who was living at that time in Weimar; was an intimate friend of Liszt, and in 1854 founded, with him, the Neu-Weimar-Verein, which, under the presidency of Liszt, was joined by all the most distinguished musicians, authors, and painters of Weimar.]
Dear Friend,