F. Liszt
Rome, September 10th [1863]
(Monte Mario, Madonna Del Rosario.)
Do not omit in your next letter to tell me something about your musical Jubilee in Jena.
22. To Dr. Franz Brendel
Dear Friend,
I am deep in my work. The more we sow a field the more it spreads. One would need to live to the age of a Methuselah to accomplish anything plentiful!
Your letters, unlike so many others, are always so welcome, and I thank you most sincerely for all the goodness, kindness, honesty and warmth of feeling that the continuance of our friendship brings with it. For even though you may not always be able to communicate pleasant or enjoyable news, still things disagreeable I can tolerate more readily from you, because of your ever moderate and characteristically steadfast interpretation. The experience you had lately to make with Y.Z. I regret sincerely, and would gladly make you some compensation for a loss that is as unexpected as it is unfortunate. But I am sorry to say I do not know of any one who would exactly suit you. There is truly a great dearth of men [Menschen] in this world! When they are put to the test they prove themselves useless. My ten years' service in Weimar gave me abundant proof of this!
Probably you will just have to drag on with your contributors, till we finally get into smoother water again. It is more than three months since I received any numbers of the Neue Zeitschr.; do not forget to enclose the numbers in the next sending (together with the music I want from Hartel), and address always to "Madonna del Rosario (of which a photograph herewith), Monte Mario—Rome."
Kahnt's willingness to publish the score of the two Psalms is very flattering to me. He shall have the manuscript soon, and I should like to enclose the instrumentation of the Songs from Wilhelm Tell. Should a convenient opportunity occur some kindly- disposed singer might be found to bring them into notice (perhaps Schnorr?). The instrumental-fabric is not plain or ordinary, and enhances the effect of the vocal part. My critical ex-colleague Stor praised it formerly when performed at one of the Court- Concerts at which Caspari sang the songs,—and since then I have added some dainty little bits. One must praise oneself, especially when others too often fail in doing so!—