135. To Otto Lessmann
Dear Friend,
Best thanks for sending Kiel's "Christus"—a work full of spiritual substance, of noble and fine sentiments, and masterly in execution. Riedel proposes to give a performance of it next winter it Leipzig.
With such a clause as Joachim introduces for the "Novitaten- Concerten"—"that only such composers shall be taken into consideration in the programmes whose renown as artistic representatives of the German nation is established"—Handel, Bach, Mozart, nay even Beethoven, would have come off badly in their life-time!
Whether it is appropriate for the Berlin Hochschule to act in so specially a high and mighty manner remains to be seen. Still it is to be expected that such procedure is likely itself to meet with some other restricting "clauses."
Of the arrangement for 8 hands of the Pastorale and March [From Liszt's Oratorio "Christus.">[ which I wish to have from you, you will have already heard from Schuberth. Likewise from Kahnt of the couple of pieces from the "Elizabeth."
Au revoir on Sunday, the 28th September, in Sondershausen, where we shall have a curious (sonderliches) Programme. Receive herewith, dear friend, a special invitation, together with the assurance of my friendly attachment.
F. Liszt
Weimar, September 24th, 1873
I shall bring you back your copy of Kiel's Christus to
Sondershausen.