Pardon me if I again come with claims upon your kindness. You may know that I am working at an Oratorio on St. Stanislaus, and perhaps might be able to give me some assistance with it by communicating to me the liturgic hymns referring to the feast of St. Stanislaus. The Enchyrydion and Directorium Chori designate the Mass, Protexisti, etc., on May 7th. To receive fuller information from you on this point would greatly oblige me. [Haberl also gave Liszt aural communications regarding the Stanislaus legend. "On one occasion," says Haberl, "Liszt was specially and greatly delighted to hear of the man whom Stanislaus summoned out of the grave as a witness that the field had been paid for, and gave me a sketch of his proposed motives and tone pictures.">[
Pray accept, reverend Sir and friend, the expression of my marked esteem, and believe me yours gratefully and sincerely,
F. Liszt
146. To Professsor Carl Riedel
Dear Friend,
Herzogenberg's [Formerly Director of the Leipzig Bach-Verein, then Kiel's successor at the Berlin Hochschule, which post he lately resigned.] "Deutsches Liederspiel pleases me very much. The very first chorus with its mixed species of tempi 6/4-3/2 and 6/4-3/2 is fresh and pithy, and the whole work seems to me. excellent, pleasant and effective. Hence I should much like to recommend its being performed.
Where does Herzogenberg live? Has he any appointment anywhere? Let me know, when you can, something of his former and present work.
(N.B.—It would be worth while, later, carefully to arrange the
"Deutsches Liederspiel" for orchestra.)
I observe with special pleasure that Grutzmacher has chosen a Suite of St. Saens'. St. Saens will not, however, be able to come,—the less so as a few years ago his appearance in quite a harmless concert in Baden-Baden brought down upon him hideous rebukes and reproaches from the Parisian Press. And the tone in France is not yet more temperate; still it is right that German artists should prove themselves fair and just towards foreigners, and, as long as Auber's and Gounod's Operas are given in all German theaters, I see no good reason against considering and performing other works by French composers. Among modern composers I regard St. Saens as the ablest and most gifted.
I am much satisfied with the choice you have made of my things, dear friend, and thank you cordially for it—at the same time I must express my sincere regret that I am unable to attend the Tonkunstler-Versammlung, and remain, with much esteem, yours most sincerely,