I am looking forward to "Lohengrin," that wonderful work, which, to me, is the highest and most perfect thing in art—until your "Nibelungen" is finished.
At Berlin, at Count Redern's, I heard a few pieces from
"Lohengrin" splendidly executed by several regimental bands, and
was reminded of our pompous entry into the "Drei Konige" of
Basle: Our new Weymar Union has adopted the entry of the trumpets
[Musical notation]
as its "Hoch," and I wish we could sing it to you in chorus soon.
Of my concert affairs, etc., I have nothing to tell you. When I come to you I shall bring some of my scores with me. The rest will not interest us much. With similar compositions, the only question is, what is IN them? The publication I shall delay a few months (although six numbers are already engraved), for the reason that some of my EXCELLENT friends (an expression which Kaulbach is fond of using for people who do not like him) had the EXCELLENT intention of producing these things at once by way of a WARNING EXAMPLE. That amiable intention I want to forestall by a few performances under my own direction during the winter.
Try to get better again soon, and remember kindly
Your faithful
F. LISZT.
December 24th, 1855.
Best remembrances to Ritter.