Honored Friend,
You have been just as much a pianoforte maker as I have been, and still remain, alas! an almost posthumous pianoforte player.
My friend Berlioz asked: "Do you believe that I can listen to music for my pleasure?" Nevertheless we intend to continue our Music and Piano "for our good pleasure."
Thanks for letter and telegram.
Heartily devoted,
F. Liszt
Weimar, July 12th, 1877
211. To Edmund von Mihalovich
.—. In order to obtain this performance [Of Mihalovich's Opera "Hagbar.">[ I think it necessary and indispensable (as I have already told you) that you should lay a regular siege in person to the Intendant, the Capellmeister, and the singers, male and female, of the theater which you choose.
The new serious Operas are now regarded with suspicion and are in disgrace everywhere. Several trials have been made of them here and there of late years. In the happiest of them the public applauded warmly during the first performances, and abstained from attending the following ones. Consequently the coffers remained empty: ergo, it is the receipts which prove real success. If Wagner's marvellous chefs d'oeuvre hold their own in the repertoire, it is because they make money and continue to draw even a large contingent of detractors. .—.