Search -
Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt: 1854-1861
Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt 18541861 Author:Richard Wagner Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: On Monday I expect Gustav Schmidt, of Frankfort. I have summoned him in order to go through Lohengrin with him, and perhaps he will bring his tenor. I am glad to... more » see him so full of zeal. As to the rest, I shut my ears against all the world. I do not want to know how low I have sunk. Shall I hear from you soon ? If you think of me at all, think of me always as of one hard at work and profoundly melancholy. Farewell, best and dearest friend. The Kilnstler is splendid. Greet all at home. From your R. W. Zurich, March a,th, 1854. Unique Friend, I am frequently sad on your account; and on my own account I have not much reason to rejoice. My chief object and task is taking a very serious and painful turn. I had no right to expect much else in that direction, and was prepared, but these long entanglements which I have to submit to have caused me much trouble and have jeopardised my pecuniary position, so that at present I am unable to assist a friend. This I feel very much, and prefer to say nothing further about it. You will understand me and not misinterpret my silence. When the time comes, I shall explain my affairs to you by word of mouth; they are not rose-coloured, and another man might have perished, which other men might not have disliked to see. To-day I only want to tell you that on the day of the performance of the opera by the Duke of Gotha I metHerr von Hiilsen at dinner. He led the conversation to the performance of your works at Berlin, and told me that he was only waiting till you had sold your rights to Messrs. Bote and Bock in order to produce them. I made bold to say that I had reason to doubt very much whether this would be done, and that even if B. and B. bought the scores of Tannhauser and Lohengrin I did not think for a moment that you would...« less