June 22nd, 1864 [Rome]
Greetings and love to your dear ones.
It goes without saying also that I think most affectionately of
Cornelius and Tausig, which you will tell them.
31. To Dr. Franz Brendel
Dear Friend,
.—. I can assure you of Remenyi's co-operation. By the middle of July I expect a letter from him with his fuller address. It will be superfluous to mention him in the preliminary programme of the concert-performances. But what about Wagner?—Frau von Bulow sends me very sad news of him…If he definitely refuses to attend the Tonkunstler-Vers. all we can do is to obtain his consent to give the extracts—previously enumerated in the programme—from his "Meistersanger" and other of his works (together with the scores and voice parts). In my opinion these pieces are indispensable for the principal day of the Carlsruhe programme. It would be best if Bulow alone brought the matter to the desired issue. It seems to me impossible that Wagner could give him and all of us the pain of an absolute refusal! At all events everything must be done to avoid such a misfortune—nay, I may even say, such a scandal.
For the future, dear friend, you shall be totally relieved of the trouble of sending me these detailed communications. Frau von Bulow is going to report to me of the further progress of the preliminary arrangements concerning the Tonk.-Vers.; you yourself have more than enough to do with writing, negotiating, deciding, preparing, weighing to and fro, and in thinking things out, etc., etc.
It is settled, therefore, that I am coming, and you will have to look after me during my couple of weeks' stay in Germany, as it is mainly your fault that I am coming. Between ourselves I may tell you that, had it not been for your pressing letters, I should probably have confined myself to giving the Bulows a rendez-vous in Marseilles, and to paying my mother a few days' visit in Paris. Of other roads there are extremely few for me nowadays—and those that I have still to tread are not to be found in journeys, but only indeed at my quiet writing-table!
With hearty greetings and in all friendship, yours,
F. Liszt