How things will turn out later about my proposed journey to Germany I do not yet know. Probably my weary bones will be buried in Rome. Till then their immovability will serve you better than my wandering about on railways and steamboats. On the other hand, there is but little for me to do in Germany. War is at the door; drums and cannon will come to the fore; God protect the faith of heroes and give victory to the righteous among humanity! .—.
Where is Wagner, and what about the performances of "Tristan", the "Nibelungen", and the "Meistersinger" in Weimar or elsewhere? Tell me of this. I have not written to Weimar for long, and have also not had any news from there. My only German correspondent (Frau von Bulow) is suffering from some eye-trouble, which has interrupted our exchange of letters…so I am absolutely ignorant of what is going on. The February numbers of the "Neue Zeitschrft" are the last I have received. Your articles on Criticism are excellent, and, indeed, nothing else was to be expected. Give Louis Kohler my most friendly thanks for his kind perseverance in "paving the way for my scores to receive more kindly appreciation." The more thankless the task the more heartily grateful do I feel to my friends.
Most sincerely yours,
F. Liszt
Rome, May 8th, 1863
16. To Eduard Liszt
Dearest Eduard,
Weariness or something of the sort carried my thoughts back to my "Berceuse." Various other "Berceuses" rose up in my dreams. Do you care to join my dreams? It shall not cost you any trouble; without touching the keyboard yourself, you will only need to rock yourself in the sentiments that hover over them. A really amiable and variously gifted lady will see to this. She plays the little piece delightfully, and has promised me to let it exercise its charms upon you. I shall, therefore, ere long send you a copy of the new version of the "Berceuse" addressed "to the Princess Marcelline Czartoryska, Klostergasse 4." [A pupil of Chopin's] Wend yourway thither—and, in case you do not find the Princess at home, leave the manuscript with your card. I have already told her of your contemplated visit, and have spoken of you as my heart's kinsman and friend. You will find the Princess Cz. possessed of a rare and fine understanding, the most charming figure in society, and a kindly and enthusiastic worshipper of Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin, and, above all this, the illuminating faith of the Catholic Church reflected in Polish blood.
"Patria in Religione et Religio in patria" might be the motto of
Poland. God protect the oppressed!
One other commission for the Princess Cz. please undertake for me. During her residence here she on several occasions expressed the wish to become acquainted with some of my compositions (to which, whether intentionally or not, she had hitherto not paid much attention). I played with her my arrangement of the Symphonic Poems for 2 pianofortes—the "Heroide funebre," "Tasso," and the "Preludes"—which she received with kindly and courteous tolerance. Without desiring more—for ample experience has taught me that my compositions more readily rouse estrangement than attraction—I should, nevertheless, like the musical threads of our pleasant relations not to be entirely dropped, and wish therefore to present her, first of all, with various pieces of music by way of making amends. In the badly stocked music shops of Rome I could not find anything suited to her talent, and promised to ask your help in the matter. I beg you, therefore, dearest Eduard, to get the following works simply and neatly bound in one volume (in the following order), and to present them soon to the Princess Cz.:—