[Printed in Gottschalg's "Urania">[
My dear Sirs,
For what a magnificent Organ I have to thank your kindness! It is worthy of all praise and admiration! Even average players could attain much success on it.—I should gladly have kept this splendid instrument in my own house, but, alas! there is not sufficient room for it. It is now looking grand in the large room of the Orchestral School here, an institution of importance, the excellent director of which is Herr Professor and Hofcapellmeister K. Mueller-Hartung—he has published some beautiful Organ Sonatas and plays them no less beautifully.—On the evening of its opening two renowned organists played upon it, the Court organist A. W. Gottschalg (the publisher of the considerable Organ repertoire, etc., etc.), and the town organist B. Sulze, who has attained a great name through many valuable compositions and transcriptions.—I shall probably have a visit this summer from Prof. Dr. Naumann from Jena, Walter Bache from London, and Saint-Saens from Paris, who, according to my opinion, continues to be the most eminent and extraordinary king of organists. I shall not fail to beg the three above-mentioned virtuosi to make a closer acquaintance with your organ. For the rest it shall not be misused and shall remain closed to ordinary players.
Accept, etc.,
F. Liszt
Weimar, June 12th, 1883
332. To Madame Malwine Tardieu
Chere Bienveillante,
Thank you for the very agreeable news of the resumption and continuation of the performances of "Henry VIII." No one wishes Saint-Saens, more than I do, all the success that he grandly deserves, both in the theater and in concerts.
In the matter of concerts, those of the Meiningen orchestra, under Bulow's conductorship, are astonishing, and very instructive for the due comprehension of the works and the rendering of them. I send you a copy of some lines written to a friend; these will give you my impression,—one which you would share if you heard these concerts of the highest artistic lineage.—The parallel between the "Sigurd" of Reyer [Performed for the first time on 7th January, 1884, at the Theater de la Monnaie, Brussels.] and the "Siegfried" of Wagner is ingeniously traced by your husband, and renders good preparatory service to the success of the performances of "Sigurd." As to the "Nibelungen" tetralogy of Wagner—it shines with an immortal glory. In the course of the winter season the Weimar theater will give Gevaert's "Quentin Durward." Lassen will take the utmost pains in directing the study and performance of it. To my regret I shall not be able to be present at the premiere here, as I am obliged to be at Budapest before the middle of January.