193. To Basil von Engelhardt
[A very intelligent musical amateur, a friend of Glinka's, and publisher of several of his works]
Sir,
Whilst giving you my very sincere thanks for so kindly sending me the Glinka scores published by your friends, I am much pleased to be able at the same time to inform you that the Capriccio on the melody of the "Jota Aragonese" has just been performed (on New Year's Day) at a grand Court concert with most complete success. Even at the rehearsal the intelligent musicians whom I am proud to count among the members of our orchestra had been both struck and delighted by the lively and piquant originality of this charming piece, so delicately cut and proportioned, and finished with such taste and art! What delicious episodes, cleverly joined to the principal subject (Letters A and B)! What fine nuances and coloring divided among the different timbres of the orchestration (Letters C to D)! What animation in the rhythmic movement from one end to the other! How the happiest surprises spring constantly out of the logical developments! and how everything is in its right place, keeping the mind constantly on the watch, caressing and tickling the ear by turns, without a single moment of heaviness or fatigue! This is what we all felt at this rehearsal; and the day after the performance we promised ourselves to hear it again speedily, and to make acquaintance, as speedily as possible, with Glinka's other works.
Will you, my dear musician, be so kind as to renew the expression of my gratitude to Madame Schestakoff for the honor she has done me in dedicating this work to me? And when you have time, do come and hear it with your own ears at Weymar. I can assure you that you will not have occasion to regret the troubles of a little journey; and were it only the rhythm
[FIGURE: Music example in 2 staves, the upper 'wind and brass', the lower 'string quartet']
that would be enough to make ample amends for them. I beg you, sir, to accept the assurance of my sincere regard.
F. Liszt
Weymar, January 8th, 1858
P.S.—I shall be much obliged if you will send me two supplementary parts of the quartet (first and second violin, viola, and bass) of each of Glinka's works.