169. To Louis Kohler
Very Dear Friend,
Merit and success, in your case, would seem always to stand in perfectly delightful harmony. Best thanks for your kindly letter and for sending your Opus 147: "Technische Kunstler-Studien" ["Technical Artist-Studies">[. And although I am more disposed to turn away from than towards Methods and Pedagogics, still I have read this work of yours with interest. The entrance of the pedal after the striking of the chords as indicated by you at the beginning of page 3, and as consistently carried through by you almost to the utmost extreme, seems to me an ingenious idea, the application of which is greatly to be recommended to pianoforte players, teachers and composers—especially in slow tempi.
I regret that we are geographically so far apart; but sympathetically I remain in sincere esteem and in all friendliness yours,
F. Liszt
Schloss Wilhelmsthal, July 27th, 1875
My friendly greetings to your very talented pupil Alfred Reisenauer. Perhaps you may be coming to Weimar again shortly; I should be pleased to hear this.
One line in your friendly letter I answer herewith: proud of my Konigsberg title of doctor, and anxious to do it credit, I willingly refrain from giving performances of my humble compositions anywhere.
170. To Carl Hillebrand in Florence
[The celebrated author of "Zeiten, Volker und Menschen" ["Times, People and Mankind">[ and other works; born 1820; lived, from 1870 until his death, in Florence, where a memorial tablet, in gratitude to his memory, was erected over his house in the Lung' Arno.]