In my work I strove after an ideal of the antique, which should be represented, not as an ancient skeleton, but as a living and moving form. A beautiful stanza of Andre Chenier,
"Sur des pensers nouveaux faisons des vers antiques," ["On modern thoughts let us fashion verses antique.">[
served me for precept, and showed me the way to musical plastic art and symmetry.
The favorable opinion you have formed of the work in reading it through is a token to me that I have not altogether failed—I hope that the performance will not spoil your sympathy for it. I leave the direction, with the utmost confidence, entirely in your hands.—You always hit on the right thing, and navigate satisfactorily with your entire forces the occasional difficulties of the dissonant entries, and of the pathetic delivery which is absolutely essential in several places. It would certainly be a great pleasure to me, dear friend, if I could be present at the performance in Vienna on the 26th February, to enjoy your intelligent and inspired performance, but I am prevented from doing this by various circumstances (an explanation of which would lead me too far).
I beg you therefore not to induce the directors to invite me, because I might not be in a position to make my excuses. So please do you undertake the office of unchaining Prometheus in Vienna; this labour of Hercules will become you well [Footnote below]. There are certainly no powerful eagles to hack and rend in pieces the Titan's liver—but there is a whole host of ravens and creeping vermin ready to do it.—Once more best thanks and greetings from your most highly esteeming and very devoted
F. Liszt
[It took place on the 26th February, 1860. Herbeck notes as follows about it in his diary: "Prometheus, Symphonic Poem, pleased fairly. Chorus of Tritons pleased extremely. The Vintagers' and Reapers' choruses and concluding chorus pleased, but of course there was a formally organized opposition hissing. They had sworn the overthrow of this music, without even knowing a note of it.">[
232. To Dr. Franz Brendel.
So then it has happened well that the editor of the Neue Zeitschrift has also become the editor of my "Gesammelte Lieder." Best thanks, dear friend, for the means you have taken to promote this. Kahnt has only to come to an understanding with Schlesinger; I on my side do not wish to place any limitation on his rights. Whether a transcription of this or that song may be made I do not know; if this should be the case I will only beg Kahnt to let me know of any such chance transcriptions before allowing them to appear, mainly because it would not be pleasant to me if any really too stupid arrangements should come out. This is only a matter of artistic consideration—beyond that I have neither restriction nor reservation to make to the proposed edition. As soon as Kahnt is in order with Schlesinger I am satisfied with everything. This or that song may then appear singly, or transcribed for guitar or zither; so much the better if Kahnt can thereby make it pay. N.B.—I should be glad if, in bringing out the songs singly, the same outside cover could be employed as in the complete edition, on account of the index. Probably Kahnt will say nothing against this, as the back of the cover serves as an advertisement of the entire collection of songs.
Yesterday evening Fraulein Berghaus (a daughter of the Potsdam professor) sang two numbers, Freudvoll and leidvoll and Es muss ein Wunderbares sein (out of the sixth part), at a concert given by Singer and Cossmann. I had indeed forbidden it, because this winter I will not have my name put on any concert programme at all—but her exquisite delivery of these songs, which were also received with approbation, reconciled me to it.