Yours truly,
F. Liszt
Budapest, January 30th, 1880.
My cordial greetings to Madame Helbig.
256. To Professor Klindworth in Moscow
Much-esteemed dear Friend,
My sincere thanks for your masterly arrangement of Chopin's Concerto. [The Concerto in F minor; score, orchestral parts and arrangement for 2 pianos published by Jurgenson (Moscow) and Bock (Berlin).] You showed me the first movement of it some years ago in Munich. I consider the modifications in the instrumentation and in the piano part successful. As much transparency as possible should be preserved in the melodious parts.
I conclude that you will impress on M. Jurgenson the necessity of not giving way to the ancient careless abuses of publishers in the 2-piano edition. Thus four lines and two identical copses are requisite for performance.
As leader and head of the now numerous Chopin-Editors, your excellent Jurgenson-Edition authorises you to advance a proudly modest "Sic vos non vobis."
Au revoir this summer in Hall, dear Klindworth. Give my kind regards to your wife.