[Published in Gronvold "Norwegische Musiker" (Norwegian
Musicians, Warmuth, Christiania).—The addressee was the clever
leader of the Young School of Northern Composers. He was born at
Bergen in 1843, and educated at Leipzig.]
Sir,
I am very glad to tell you what pleasure it has given me to read your Sonata (Op. 8). It bears testimony to a talent of vigorous, reflective and inventive composition of excellent quality,—which has only to follow its natural bent in order to rise to a high rank. I am pleased to think that in your own country you are meeting with the success and encouragement that you deserve: these will not be wanting elsewhere either; and if you come to Germany this winter I cordially invite you to stay a little at Weimar, in order that we may thoroughly get to know each other.
Pray receive, sir, the assurance of my sentiments of esteem and very distinguished regard.
F. Liszt
Rome, December 29th, 1868
NEXT SECTION: WEIMAR.—PEST.—ROME.
82. To Commerzienrath Carl Bechstein in Berlin
[Head of the famous pianoforte-manufactory; our "Beflugler," as Bulow and Tausig called him (A play on the word Flugel, which means both a "grand piano" and "wings.")]
Very Dear Sir,