F. Liszt
August 6th, 1856.
Have you received my things in score? Continue to address me at
Weymar.
160. To Joachim Raff
You would be making a great mistake if you put any mistrust in my conduct, and I can assure you with a perfectly good conscience that to me there is nothing more agreeable and more to be desired than to rely entirely on one's friends. With regard to the Wiesbaden affair, I must necessarily await a definite invitation from the concert directors before I can give a definite answer. I think I have too often shown that I am ready and willing, for it to be necessary for me to say more on that point. I was again at Sondershausen last Sunday, and promised to go there again in the course of next winter. The orchestra there, under its conductor Stein (whose acquaintance I had not made until now), has performed two of my Symphonic Poems—"Les Preludes" and "Mazeppa"—with really uncommon spirit and excellence. Should there be a similar willingness in Wiesbaden, it will of course be a pleasure to me to accept the invitation of the concert directors; so also I am greatly obliged to you for being so helpful toward the spread and sympathetic understanding of my works. But from your letter I see that you will not be staying much longer in Wiesbaden, and as I am not acquainted with the present circumstances there I cannot reckon beforehand on the friendly reception without which public performances always prove very unfruitful for composers. According, therefore, to whether these circumstances show themselves favorable or unfavorable to my honest endeavors, I will come, or I will remain at home.
I give you my heartiest good wishes for the performance of your "King Alfred" [an opera of Raff's]. Your two "Tanz-Capricen" (bolero and valse) have been sent me by Hallberger, and I have already recommended a speedy edition of both.
This afternoon I start for Gran. In the middle of September I shall get to Stuttgart and go to Zurich. Letters can be always addressed to me at Weymar, and before the end of October I shall be back here again.
With best greetings and thanks, yours very truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, August 7th, 1856