A fortnight ago I heard from Paris that Berlioz was failing in health and suffering greatly. When I saw him last (in the spring of '66) he was then already physically and mentally broken down. Our personal relations always remained friendly, it is true, but on his side there was somewhat of a gloomy, cramped tone mixed with them…
Neither Schumann nor Berlioz could rest satisfied at seeing the steady advance of Wagner's works. Both of them suffered from a suppressed enthusiasm for the music of the future.
I shall not be able to decide about my proposed stay in Weimar till the end of the year. Till then I shall keep quiet here or in the neighborhood, the extreme boundary to which is indicated by the sea baths of Ancona. Several other invitations have had to be courteously declined. But next year a considerable change may take place in my outward circumstances, and may again draw me closer to Germany. How this last chapter of my life will shape itself I cannot yet foresee.
The Vienna Mannergesang-Verein have kindly asked me to provide a composition for their Jubilee Festival. This is the reason why I asked Kahnt for the score of the 18th Psalm ("The Heavens declare the glory of God"), which has at last come, and was despatched to Vienna the day before yesterday [published by Schuberth, Leipzig]. Kahnt has no doubt also received the corrected pianoforte score of the "Elizabeth." And there happily remains only the full score to do, the proofs of which I am expecting now.
During the winter my innumerable social duties rendered it absolutely impossible for me to write any longer compositions. This enforced idleness vexes me extremely—and I intend to assume an air of rudeness to rid myself of a great many people. It is more especially intrusive correspondents who are a vexatious waste of time to me. Since the "Coronation Mass," I have in fact only written one solitary work: a "Requiem" for male voices with simple organ accompaniment [published by Kahnt, Leipzig].
How much I should like to hear Berlioz's colossal Requiem in
Altenburg!—Think, when there, in all friendliness of
Your sincerely attached
F. Liszt
Rome, June 17th, 1868
Again I beg you to send me regularly the programmes and the notices of the Altenburg T.K.V. in the Neue Zeitung.