F. Liszt
Rome, December 12th, 1881
288. To Madame Malwine Tardieu in Brussels
[The wife of the chief editor of the Independance Belge]
How good of you, Madame, to make such ready allowance for my delays and shortcomings in correspondence. It is a disagreeable infirmity of mine not to be able to write longer and better letters. Your last kind lines delighted me, and I thank you for them most affectionately. The brilliant success of Massenet's Herodiade [The first performance of the Opera took place at the Theater de la Monnaie in Brussels, 19th December, 1881.] gives me sincere pleasure; all Paris, after having applauded the work on its first appearance at Brussels, will be all the more ready to applaud it again in Paris itself. For my own part let me confess to you quite in a whisper that I am inclined rather to hold back with respect to certain love-scenes, which, it seems, are necessary on the stage, when introduced into biblical subjects. They jar on my feelings—excepting in our admirable and valiant friend St. Saens' Dalila, where he has made a glorious love duet which is quite in place; for Dalila and Samson are bound to give themselves to the devil for love's sake, whilst in Massenet's Magdalen and Herodfade the whole thing is merely conventional…theatrical.
Pray forgive me, Madame, for this opinion, which is slightly pedantic, but without any pretension. When you see Madame Viardot again, tell her that I still cherish an enthusiastic recollection of her—a typical Orpheus, Fides and Rosina,—and, besides, an enchanting composer and a pianist full of ingenious dexterity. Have you heard anything of her daughter, Madame Heritte? Do you know her remarkable setting of Victor Hugo's "Feu du Ciel"? Monsieur Becquet [President of the Brussels Musical Society (since dissolved).] has sent me an excellent French translation of my Elizabeth, [By Gustave Lagye.] quite adapted to the sense and rhythm of the music. When this Legend of St. Elizabeth was first performed at Budapest (end of August 1865) the Independance Belge published a most flattering article on the work. .—.
Pray remember most kindly to M. Tardieu your affectionate and devoted servant,
F. Liszt
Rome, January 20th, 1882.
Zarembski has received my orchestration of his charming "Danses
Polonaises." ["Danses Galiciennes.">[