225. To Dr. Franz Brendel
Dear Friend,
Of the three prize essays (which I return to you herewith) the one with the motto "Try all things and maintain the best" is, according to my opinion, very significant and suitable to the definite solving of the question. The writer develops his thesis with so safe, so rightly apprehending, and so far grasping a logic that it shows convincingly that the now indispensable practice is in complete union with the results of the theory. It is to be hoped that our excellent colleague and friend Lobe will also give his weighty judgment in favor of this prize essay, and will also scientifically explain his motives for doing so—for I cannot suppose that Lobe is in agreement with the opponents of the enharmonic system, whose theory would make us have to do musical penance.
In the two other essays with the mottoes "Our eyes see, but they require the light to do so," and "Look, this is what man has done!" there is much that is true and worthy of consideration (especially in the former), which might be made prominent after reading through all the essays sent in.
Come to an understanding next with Lobe about the final business of the causes for the award of the prize, and let me have a draft of it. It cannot be otherwise than profitable if the affair is treated somewhat exhaustively and thoroughly, which you, dear friend, in conjunction with Lobe and Weitzmann, are much better able to do than my humble self, since I, as Hauptmann justly observes, should appear to be too much prejudiced by my own practice. In matters of harmony, as in other greater matters, I believe also that Nature is in everlasting union with Genius.
"What one promises, the other surely performs." And Beethoven was quite right to assert his right to allow that which was forbidden by Kirnberger, Marpurg, Albrechtsberger, etc.!—Science must only investigate more and more the nature of things and the freedom of genius, and become experienced in their further development.——- ——-
Ever faithfully yours,
F. Liszt
[Weimar,] December 1st, 1859
I quite agree with your project of giving two prizes. The first prize will be awarded to the above-mentioned treatise, unless, which I doubt, a still more successful one should be sent in.