226. To Anton Rubenstein
Certainly, my very honored friend, I shall not leave off taking a very sincere and loyal part in the unfolding of the career that you are pursuing with such rare prowess, and all that you can tell me of your doings in composition and musical conducting will always find in me a lively interest. Thank you, therefore, for your nice letter, which contains also a promise which I shall be very much pleased to see you fulfill—namely, that of your visit next spring, in company with your Opera in four acts—and probably also with your "Song of Songs," which you do not mention to me, but which I am none the less desirous, on that account, of knowing.
Have you thought well to give your "Paradise Lost" at St. Petersburg? I urged you strongly to do so, for it is a capital work, which does you great honor, and the place of which seems fixed in your concerts. And on this subject allow me to compliment you very sincerely upon the idea (all the less frequent as it is just) which has been uppermost in the distribution of the programme of these concerts. If it continues to predominate, and if in effect they take it into their heads at St. Petersburg to do justice (as you tell me) "to all the masters of all schools and of all times" (not excepting our own!), the famous verse
"'Tis from the North that light comes to us today"
will be justified, and even by Music! In France and Germany we are far from this—and classical Pharisaism swells its voice there to make a diversion to Mercantilism, that rich disgraceful one, who succeeds perfectly well in making the principal papers and their numerous readers dance to the sounds of his harsh flute, whilst his antagonist (Pharisaism) only ends in "Improperias" and "Jeremiads"…not composed by Palestrina!
Your choice of the introduction to the second act of the Fliegender Hollander seems to me an excellent one, and I shall get the score (of this scene) copied for you, as it is very difficult to get a complete score of the Opera, and as I only possess the autograph, with which it would be a matter of conscience to me to part. In about a fortnight I will send you what you want for your programme.
Princess Marie Hohenlohe is at the present time at St. Petersburg, and will be much delighted to see you again. Her husband does a good deal in the way of music, and plays several "Lieder ohne Worte" of his own composition very nicely. He and his wife will assuredly have pleasure in being amongst the first to applaud at the time of the performances of your Opera in Vienna.
A revoir then, my dear Rubinstein, in the spring—and ever yours in sincere esteem and affection,
F. Liszt
Weymar, December 3rd, 1859