Tarnowski will return to his Penates in Gallicia at Easter, and will write to you. Wider continues to be president of the German circle. Next door to one another, there are many concerts given at the Sala Dante, and our friend Sgambati is acquiring more and more the reputation of a great artist, which he merits. Remenyi spent the winter in Hungary. I should very much like to invite him to come to the Tonkunstler-Versammlung at Weimar; but our programme is already over-full. In any case I shall meet Rem. again at Szegzard.
102. To Camille Saint-Saens
Dear Friend,
The rehearsals of your "Noces de Promethee" (Marriage of Prometheus) are proceeding well at Weimar and Jena; we shall pay particular attention to the 4 harps, the saxophones, etc. But what is of the greatest consequence is yourself. I have announced your coming at the Court and in the town. A revoir then! Try to be here on the 24th, [Saint-Saens came to Weimar for the Tonkunstler-Versammlung of the "Allgemeine Deutsche Musik- Verein," with which the Beethoven Centenary was simultaneously celebrated; and for the first time, on the 27th May, 1870, Saint- Saens' name appeared on the programme of these concerts. He also appeared as a pianist, and Liszt played with him at a Matinee on two grand pianos.]—and believe me yours ever in sincere friendship,
F. Liszt
Weimar, May 12th, 1870
103. To Johann von Herbeck
Very dear friend,
Being perfectly convinced of your genuine friendship I am quite willing to follow the instructions you will briefly give me concerning the Beethoven Festival [For the benefit of the Beethoven Memorial. It took place in Vienna on the 18th March, 1877. Liszt played the E-major Concerto and the pianoforte Fantasia (with chorus), and accompanied the Scotch songs sung by Caroline Bettelheim.] in Vienna. Whether, and in what way, I may be able to take part in it will be decided when we have discussed the subject. Meanwhile I most modestly determine to consider myself unusable. [There is here a play on the word bescheiden, the German being ich bescheide mich bescheidenst, which is untranslatable.]
About the beginning of August I shall pay you a visit in Vienna, whence my road leads onwards to Szegzard. My earlier halting points will be: 3rd July, Leipzig—performance of my Missa choralis; 13th and 17th July, "Rheingold" and the "Walkure" in Munich; and after that the Passion Play at Oberammergau.