177. To Concertmeister Ferdinand David in Leipzig
[Printed in Eckardt's "F. David and the Mendelssohn Family,"
Leipzig, Dunker & Humblot, 1888.]
Leipzig, February 26th, 1857, 10 o'clock
[Preceding the body of the letter, Liszt illustrates with a vocal score musical excerpt with the words "Away! Away!" written in English by Liszt. It is a quotation from Liszt's Symphonic Poem "Mazeppa," which he had conducted in the Leipzig Gewandhaus on the same day as the "Preludes," and with which he had had ill- success. David, who was present as leader of the orchestra, "disapproved"—according to Eckardt—of Liszt's composing tendency, but continued, till his life's end, "filled with admiration for the incomparable artist and genial man," in the friendliest relations with Liszt.]
Before I go to bed let me give you my most sincere and heartfelt thanks, my very dear friend, which I owe you for this evening. You have proved yourself anew such a thorough gentleman [Gentleman, put in English by Liszt] and high-standing artist at this evening's concert.
That is nothing new in you, but it gives me pleasure, as your old friend, to repeat old things to you, and to remain ever yours most gratefully,
Franz Liszt
178. To Wladimir Stassoff in St. Petersburg
[A Russian writer, a musical and art critic, at present director of the Imperial Public Library at St. Petersburg.]
An illness, not in the least dangerous, but very inconvenient, since it obliges me to keep my bed rather often (as at this moment), has deprived me of the pleasure of replying sooner to your very kind letter, firstly to thank you for it, and also to tell you how delighted I shall be to make acquaintance with Mr. Scroff's manuscripts, which you kindly introduce to me in so persuasive a manner. Many people who have the advantage of knowing Mr. Seroff, among others Mr. de Lenz and Prince Eugene Wittgenstein, have spoken of him to me with great praise, as an artist who unites to real talent a most conscientious intelligence. It will be of great interest to me to estimate the work to which he has devoted himself with such praiseworthy perseverance, and thus to avail myself of the opportunity offered to me of hearing those sublime works of the LAST PERIOD (I purposely put aside