[Autograph in the Royal Library in Vienna. Printed in a German translation, La Mara, "Letters of Musicians during Five Centuries," vol. ii.]
Weymar, August 5th, 1850
Dear Friend,
My cousin Edward writes me word that you are a little piqued at my long silence,—and I, shall I tell you frankly? am a little piqued that you have not yet thought of coming to see me, and of transferring your bath season to some place in the neighborhood of Weymar. Will you make peace with me?—
Accept as a friend the invitation I give you in all friendship. Arrive at Weymar the 23rd of August, and stay till the 30th at least. You will find several of your friends here,—Dingelstedt, Jules Janin, Meyerbeer (?), etc.,—and you will hear, firstly, on the evening of the 24th, a good hour and a half of music that I have just composed (Overture and Choruses) for the "Prometheus" of Herder, which will be given as a Festal Introduction to the inauguration of his statue in bronze by Schaller of Munich, which is fixed for the 25th; secondly, on the evening of the 25th, Handel's "Messiah"; thirdly, on the 28th, the anniversary of Goethe's birth, a remarkably successful Prologue made, ad hoc, for that day by Dingelstedt, followed by the first performance of Wagner's "Lohengrin." This work, which you certainly will not have the opportunity of hearing so soon anywhere else, on account of the special position of the composer, and the many difficulties in its performance, is to my idea a chef-d'oeuvre of the highest and most ideal kind! Not one of the operas which has entertained the theaters for the past twenty years can give any approximate idea of it.
So don't be piqued any longer, or rather, dear friend, be piqued with curiosity to be one of the first to hear such a beautiful thing. Sulk with Vienna, for a few weeks at least, instead of sulking with me, which is all nonsense, and believe me always and ever your most sincerely attached, but very much occupied, very much pre-occupied, and oftentimes very absorbed friend,
F. Liszt
69. To Mathilde Graumann
[Given by the addressee, subsequently celebrated as Mathilde
Marchesi, teacher of singing, in "Aus meinem Leben" (Bagel,
Dusseldorf)]
Mademoiselle,