Yours most sincerely,
F. Liszt
Please give my best greetings to Kahnt. Later on I shall beg him for a copy of my songs for a very charming Roman lady.
2. To A.W. Gottschalg, Cantor and Organist in Tieffurt
["Der legendarische Cantor" [the legendary Cantor] the Master jokingly named this faithful friend of his. "I value him as a thoroughly honest, able, earnestly striving and meritorious comrade in Art, and interest myself in the further progress— which is his due," wrote Liszt to the late Schuberth. Meanwhile Gottschalg was long ago advanced to the post of Court organist in Weimar. He is widely known as the editor of the "Chorgesang" [chorus singing] and of the "Urania.">[
Dear Friend,
Although I cannot think otherwise than that you remain ever equally true to me, yet the living expression of your kindly feelings towards me is always a pleasure and a comfort. First of all then accept my warmest thanks for your two letters, which bring back to me the best impressions of your morning and evening visits to me in my blue room on the Altenburg.
It goes without saying that I have no objection to make to the publication of the Andante from the Berg Symphony in the Jubilee Album in honor of Johann Schneider. I only beg, dear friend, that you will look the proof over accurately, and carefully correct any omissions or mistakes in the manuscript.
I should be very glad if I could send you a new Organ work, but unfortunately all incentive to that sort of work is wanting to me here; and until the Tieffurt Cantor makes a pilgrimage to Rome all my organ wares will certainly remain on the shelf.
Ad vocem of the Tieffurt Cantor, I will tell you that I have been thinking of him very particularly these last few days, whilst I was composing St. Francis's Hymn of Praise ("Cantico di San Francesco"). The song is a development, an offspring as it were, a blossom of the Chorale "in dulci jubilo," for which of course I had to employ Organ. But how could I be writing an Organ work without immediately flying to Tieffurt in imagination?—And lo, at the entrance to the church our excellent Grosse [The trombonist of the Weimar orchestra (died 1874), who was so faithfully devoted to Liszt, and whom the latter remembered in his will] met me with his trombone, and I recollected an old promise—namely, to compose a "piece" for his use on Sundays. I immediately set to work at it, and out of my "Cantico" has now arisen a Concertante piece for Trombone and Organ. I will send you the piece as an Easter egg by the middle of April. [Published by Kahnt in Leipzig] Meanwhile here are the opening chords:—