Yours respectfully,
F. Liszt
Berlin, Monday, April 25th, 188l
277. To Kornel von Abranyi
Weimar, May 13th, 1881
My Dear Friend,
Rather more than half of my concert-engagements for this year have now been fulfilled. The two performances of "Christus" in Berlin and Freiburg were admirable; the Liszt-Concerts in Freiburg and Baden-Baden likewise; in the first of these the three-part hymn "L'enfant au reveil" was also given, charmingly sung by deliciously clear voices. By way of a rehearsal of this piece the ladies gave a morning serenade in honor of me at the house of my friendly hosts the Rieslers, whose villa will remain most pleasantly in my remembrance. Felix Mottl conducted the Liszt concert in Baden-Baden with "Mazeppa," the "Mephisto- Waltz," the "Hunnenschlacht," and three pieces from the Oratorio "Christus" in a most praiseworthy manner. Bulow's Liszt-evening in Berlin glorious as at Pest and Vienna..—.
I shall stay here till Sunday, 22nd May. On the 24th I shall be at Antwerp. On the 26th is the performance of the "Gran Mass" there.
I am very glad that the Committee of the Musical Festival has chosen just this particular work, which has hitherto been more talked about and abused by the critics than heard. Of course I had left the programme entirely to the discretion of the Committee, for I really have no wish to recommend any work of my own for performance anywhere. My mission is to work on unpretendingly and without troubling myself about advancement.
Yours faithfully,