156. To Wilhelm wieprecht, General Music Director of the Military Corps of the State of Prussia
[Autograph in the possession of Herr Otto Lessmann at Charlottenburg. The addressee (1802-72) was one of the inventors of the bass-tuba, and improved many of the wind instruments.]
Dear Friend, I learn from several Berliners, who have passed through here, that you have had the great kindness to instrument my march "Vom Fels zum Meer" ["From the Rock to the Ocean.">[ splendidly, and have had it performed several times. Permit me to express my warmest thanks to you for this new proof of your friendship, and at the same time to remind you of a promise the fulfillment of which is very much desired by me.
It is that, in my last visit to Berlin, you were so kind as to say that the Symphonic Poem Tasso would not be amiss arranged by you for a military band, and you, with your well-known readiness for action, expressed your willingness to arrange the instrumentation accordingly. Allow me today to lay claim to half your kind offer, and to beg you to strike out forty-two pages of this long score, and so to dispose your arrangement that, after the last bar of page 5 (score), you make a skip to the second bar of page 47 (Lento assai), by this means shortening the lamento of Tasso and of the public also.
[Here, Liszt illustrates with a musical score excerpt of the last bar of page 5.]
[Here, Liszt illustrates with another musical score excerpt, from the second bar of page 47.]
By the same post I send you the score and the piano arrangement (for two pianofortes) for convenience in looking it over. If the concluding figure (Letter M., Moderato pomposo) seems to make a better effect in the instrumentation by following the piano arrangement with the simple quaver figure [Liszt illustrates with a brief musical score excerpt] instead of the triplets, according to the score, I have not the slightest objection to it, and beg you altogether, dear friend, to feel quite free to do as you like in the matter. The flattering thing for me would be just this— that the work should please you sufficiently for you to be allowed to take what liberties you wish with it.
Some years ago Dahlmann gave a lecture at Bonn upon immature enthusiasm. God preserve us rather from untimely pedantry! Certainly no one shall have to suffer from this from my side!
I am sending you, together with the "Tasso" score, that of
"Mazeppa" also. Take an opportunity of looking at the concluding
"March" (beginning page 89 of the score):—
[Here, Liszt illustrates with a musical score excerpt]