Franz Liszt S

PR E F A CE .

THE following work w as suggested by the great public interest t aken in the late Fran z

Liszt during his last v isit to England . Cir cumstances a a at del yed its public tion the , time ;

’ but the s ad news of the Abbé Liszt s dea th h aving awakened anew the interest felt by our “ ” m a a I usic l people in the king of pi nists , conﬁdently hope th a t all s uch will now ﬁnd h it useful . I ave endeavored to furni sh a c a a h of oncise , yet convenient , biogr phic l sketc the gre at Hunga ria n .

RAPHAEL LEDos DE EA T B UF O R .

D Au ust 188 . LON ON , g , 6

CONTENTS .

I . - a and f The Li s zt fami ly . Ad m Liszt his wi e .

II . h 18 1 1 o 1 2t . s n . The comet of Oct ber , Fir t impressio s — - — n . n Cou try Life Religious feeli gs The gipsies . ’ F ranz s musica l dispositio n.

III . ’ - on in Franz s p assionate lov e of music . Progress the — - n n . He s trument . Forebodi gs of his ge ius becomes m n . I ro ill . Recovery . Resumes his lesso s p

— n a n a a a nd ma n vis a tion . The fou d tio of his ch r cter — ? ners Shall he embra ce the musica l profes s ion

IV . —He Fra nz performs at public co ncerts in Oldenburg .

pl a ys before Pri nce Esterh a zy in Eise nsta dt . Ada m Lisz t gives up his situ a tio n and lea ves Ra iding in n n e in order to go a nd settle in Vien a . Co c rt Pres

a n n a an n a burg . He obt i s from some Hu g ri obles — n an . pension for his s o . Fr z is to study music n Ge erosity of Hummel .

V . Franz receives i nstruction from Ch arles Czerny a nd ’

n n a . A to io S lieri The pupil s peculi arities . Pos

’ i ive a n n t dva t age of Czer ny s tuition . I struction - n from S a lieri . Wo derful progress in rea ding the score a nd in composing a nd pl ayi ng at ﬁrst sight ’ a n a - n Fr z s f vor with the a ristocra cy . First co cert

in Vienna . Contents .

. VI PAG E — ’ n . n a n w c a n Beethove Co vers tio ith S hindler . Fr z s

n nc in nna 13 th seco d co ert Vie (April , ’ Beethove n ho nors the young a rtist s performa nce n with his prese ce .

VII .

n n n nna n n Co seque ce of the seco d Vie co cert . O the — w a a . n in n c S tutt ard a y to P ris Co certs Mu i h , g , Str s - a . . é burg . P ris Cherubi ni Pa r gives Franz in i — struction n compositio n . Performa nces in the

lons — - s a T a c a . a an . he risto r cy First a ppe r ce b e ’ a nc an c n and fore Fre h publi c . Fr z s exe utio

a nn a n . . m ers . His improvis tio s His success

Humor of the time .

VIII . ’ - Fra nz s ﬁrst a ttempt to set an opera to musi c . Clouds . ’ — m n Tra velling projects . Liszt s other retur s to — — D but in n n . In Austri a Engl a nd . é Lo do the - - Dra wing rooms ; in the concert h all ; a t Court . — in n nc . Return to Pa ris . Tour the Fre ch provi es

a n — a n n - n c To Engl and ag i . Aw ke i g self co s ious — ’ F nan a a n . ness . eels repug ce for the rtist s voc tio

IX . — a n D on a n . TO Pa ris aga in . Perform ce of S cho a The youthful productions of Fra nz Liszt . Comp r ’ iso n betwee n his early works a nd Beethoven s .

X .

Second journey through the French provinces .

nc in a . M a demoiselle Lydi a G a rella . O e more P ris — —Counterpoint lessons with Bei ch a Third jour — — “f ney to E ngl a nd Religious feeli ngs ishes to

— a a nd a a n o n be come a priest . Ide l ethic l re ctio ’ — ea - a n at Franz s m anner and view of life . S b thi g Contents . vii

PA G E

n - - — n and a a Boulog e sur Mer . Ill ess de th of Ad m Liszt .

XI . ’ a — n a a Result of Ada m Liszt s de th . Retur of M d me

a . n . Liszt to P ris Music Lesso s First Love . — Is not a ccepted . Fresh outburst of religious feel

in n . c . g . Serious ill ess Re overy

XII . ’ a a n Period of Conv a lescence . Ch te ubri a d s At ala ” a nd René . Religious doubts . Sudden thirst — . a n for knowledge Worldly dispositions . Pl y a d

a a n . a n n Opera . It li music M rio Delorme a d ’ Rossi ni s Wilhelm Tell . Feels a repugnance for ’ - n n -ﬂ concert givi ng . Beethove s co certo in E a t ma ’ ’ n c in a — jor . Beethove s musi P ris . Liszt s error . ’ ’ Liszt s fanta si a on the Tyrolienne from Auber s opera ” La Fia ncée . 102

XIII . 3 ’ u a t n 18 0 . en O tbre k of the Revolu io of July , Liszt s - i a n n n . a n a thus as m . Aw ke i g e ergy Pl of Sym ’ ’ phonie Révolutio nna ire . Liszt s defective k nowl

— — Inﬂ uence a n edge . L abors . of the S i t Simoni a ns

n na a nd a n o his perso l rtistic developme t . Relig - an a . a n n a a ious m i Artistic ch ge of directio . P g — n n in a nﬂ n on . 1 9 i i P ris . His i ue ce Liszt 0

XIV .

ﬂ n on . n . n . Berlioz . His i ue ce Liszt Fetis Chopi ’ n a and Liszt s e thusi sm love for the Polish musi ci an . ”

n . His Life of Chopi Abbé de La menna is .

nﬂ n n . His i ue ce o Liszt Democra tic tende ncies .

XV .

s i — ck now l Appe a rs aga i n in s a lon and n publi c . A

c n n o n a n edged the rea tor of moder executio the pi o . “ ” — a n t e a a n n . F étis . Gr des é ud s de P g i i The Contents .

PA GE - — a n an . ﬁrst p rtitio for the pi o Victor Hugo . George

n . nﬂ n o n S a d Her i ue ce Liszt . Countess Lapru

na rede . XVI ’ n d A oult. a n The Cou tess g Her P re ts . Youth .

Lia is on with Liszt . 14 3

XVII . ’ Momenta ry i nterruption in Liszt s i ntima cy with the ’

n d A oult. n n r Cou tess g Re ewed i tercou se . Elope

n a . a a a me t to B sle Judici l Sep r tio n .

XVIII . ’ a nd n n a — Liszt the Cou tess remove to Ge ev . Liszt s ’ — — n . . in n M writi gs Liszt s letters Life Ge eva . u - ’ — i l n . n s ca compositio s Berlioz s co cert . Visit to

— a George S and at Noh ant . Dis greement between — and n . a her the Cou tess Tr vels through Europe . ’ n Liszt s childre . 0

XIX . - — n . a a n Sep arates from the Cou tess Tr vels lo e . Friend

n a n and — ship betwee W g er himself. Performs the n Ta nnh a user . Re ewed ﬁts of mysticism . His n n n n marri age with the Pri cess Wittge stei . E ters in — a nd a Holy Orders . Liszt the Emperor N poleon . n The Hungaria title .

’ - ’ a s a littéra tenr . Liszt s musical works . Liszt Liszt s — biographers a nd critics La st visi t of Liszt to

Londo n .

XXI .

Dea th of Liszt .

APPENDIX .

Liszt a s a Littéra teur .

List of his Chief Compositions . ’ N ames of Liszt s Principal Pupils . Z F R A N Z LIS T.

S T O R Y O F H IS L I F E .

I .

— m a and . The Liszt F a ily . Ad m Liszt his Wife

THE na me and the traditions of the Liszt L family belong to the Hungarian nobility . ike

a a a a L z most noble Hung ri n f milies, th t of is t

possessed no document concerning its origin . It has a a , however, been sserted by some th t it could be tra ced as far b a ck a s the sixteenth

L a Li z iu century . Johann iszt (t nnes s t s ) w as

a a a Za ol a secret ry to Is bell , the widow of p y ; and 15 51 a Trans l when , in , th t princess ceded y a a to L e v ni the Emperor, iszt ent red the service

of Ferdinand I . in his form er capa city . He

a a L a of l ter on m rried ucreti , the niece the a a Olokus of G a celebr ted Nikol us , Archbishop r n ,

and had and a a a by her two sons d ughter, n med ( 9 ) 10 F r anz Lisz t.

h a a and A netha . respectively Jo nn , Steph n , g The untimely death of his wife ca st a gloom

and a over his life , seems to h ve been the chief

a n c ause of his enterin g into holy orders . H vi g been appointed Vice -Ch an cellor of the Holy

L t w a s a the c Empire , isz elev ted to Bishopri

Ves z rim 15 68 a a a of p in , bec me fterw rds full a and 15 73 w a s a d the Ch ncellor , in , r ise to important Bishopric of Raab . He died in

a 15 . Pr gue , in 7 7 The w ar with the Turks in the second h alf o f n n an d a conﬂ a ration the seventee th ce tury , g in Raab which destroyed all the books and papers composing the a rchives of the episcopal

a a ﬁ p l ce, render it , however, extremely dif cult to point out with certainty the genealogical ties w hich unite Bishop Johann to the family of

a L a an . n Ad m iszt , the f ther of Fr z All we k ow is th at the brothers and sisters of Bishop Liszt

a and a a were we lthy, possessed l rge est tes in u aa and the neighborhood of Presb rg , R b , Wiesel burg . ’ L a a a and a - a iszt s f ther, gr ndf ther gre t gr nd

a in u tan . f ther were , however, humble circ ms ces His great-grandfather w as a sub altern ofﬁcer

a a and in the imperi l regiment of huss rs, died at Ra endorf a a a g , ne r Oldenburg, le ving son , The Liszt F a mily . 1

a w a s 17 5 5 . a L Ad m , who born in This Ad m iszt occupied the position of steward to Prince Ester

a and had a . w as h zy He m rried three times , - n twen ty six children . Bei g entirely dependent on m a a n his his odest s l ry , he fou d it beyond means to provide his p atriarchal fa mily with an a n a a n a nd y but very eleme t ry educ tio , his m ain care w as to devise the me ans of en abling his children speedily to e arn their own liveli

in a hood , order to relieve himself of the s criﬁces the bringing up of so l arge a fa mily enta iled on his me agre income . Thus most of his children

an a and a n took to h dicr fts , , tr velli g to foreign

a n n all and l ds , soo severed connection with , lost

all a of a . tr ce , e ch other We , however, know ’ n a L : a somethi g of three of Ad m iszt s sons Ad m ,

ﬁ rs t- a s his born by his ﬁrst wife , succeeded him ste w ard on the estate of Prince Esterha zy — he w a s a a L n the f ther of Fr nz iszt ; Anto , born of ’ da n a a a a a a A m s seco d m rri ge , bec me w tchm ker in na 18 76 and Vien , where he died in , esteemed

n all n as a ho ored by who k ew him ; for Edu rd , l a - a ike his h lf brother Ad m , he devoted himself

a a . to the duties of stew rd Being highly gifted , he rose to the positio n of Imperia l Austria n

a -G al and a a Procur tor ener , won the respect dmir

all a a and w a s tion of who ppro ched him , much 12 F ranz Lis z t.

at a 18 9 . regretted his de th , which occurred in 7

He also left several children .

a L s an Ad m iszt w a of artistic nature . He soon developed for music a ta ste which became a real passion . But dire necessity compelled

a a at a him to renounce his spir tions, or, le st, to devote only his leisure-time to the study of m usic ; this he , however , pursued with such

n a a a unremitti g rdor, th t he soon bec me con

a all and vers nt with keyed instruments, with the

ﬂute and violin besides . His proﬁciency w as such that professional musicians would ofte n request his a ssistance when ever they were short

f as a l a o an executant . This w especi l y the c se in a n a n Eisenst dt , where , whe still quite you g man had a at a , he come to reside with his f ther time when the musical band of Prince Esterh azy w as in the a a full splendor th t broug ht it historic l '

a . a w as n a a f me Joseph H ydn the b ndm ster,

a Ka elmeis ter n . or r ther p , to the Pri ce The a cquaintance of the famous composer gave a ’ a L a n higher direction to Ad m iszt s t le t , which ,

n an a a u der the guid ce of the m ster, soon cquired a a a a - a a a perfection rem rk ble for self m de m teur, as a a an a he w a s . It w as indeed no me n dv t ge for Ad am to h a ve secured the coun sels of the “ ” a a n a gre t composer of the Cre tio , the f ther Adam Lisz t. 13

of a and as the qu rtet of the symphony, the

Germans proudly call H aydn . The enthusia sm

L n a a n of iszt for music , his ve er tion for H yd , won n a for him the frie dship of the m ster, who kindly welcomed the e a ger am ateur to the gorgeo us p a vilion built by the muniﬁcence of the Prince . Musical perform an ces were given there da ily u nder the directio n of H aydn . In the course ’ L ha d at of his visits , iszt met the Prince s con certs m any fa mous musician s and composers

n a invited from Vien a . Thus he m de the ao

a n an n and a n qu i t ce of Cherubi i , bec me the i ti ’ ma n a te frie d of Nepomuk Hummel , Moz rt s

w a s a a s one pupil , who then reg rded of the most a ccomplished pia n ists of his time . He had

a G an a n an tr velled through erm y, Russi , E gl d,

m a nd an and had n Belgiu , Holl d , retur ed home covered with l aurels . At the time of his a a n an a cqu i t ce with Ad m , Hummel occupied the position of pianist an d composer of sacred

n a L w as one music to the Pri ce Ad m iszt, who ’ n a of Hummel s most e thusi stic worshippers , h a d been so impressed by the wo nderful piano

o - a n n a a t n a f rte pl yi g of his frie d , th t he o ce g ve up the pra ctice of a ll other instruments in order

all n n to devote his time a d e ergy to the piano . His passion for music ha d even grown so strong 1 4 F ranz Lis z t. that the antipathy he had a lways experienced

a w a s a l n a n to the duties of stew rd d i y i cre si g , and he several times m ade up his mind to

a . h resign his situ tion He , owever , understood

a t a w a s n a nd th his ppointment his sole fortu e ,

a he th t, should he throw it up , would ﬁnd n himself ca st pen iless on the world . Despite

an a a nd - n m y inw rd oft recurri g struggles , he

a a a nd submitted to his , to him, miser ble f te , ende avored to fulﬁl his duties with zeal and devotion . In this he so well succeeded that he

a quite won the f vor of his employer, Prince h Esterh a zy . He ad been several ye ars employed ’ a s a ssistant -steward on the Prince s est ate at

n a 18 10 a s a a Eise st dt, when , in , rew rd for his

a t and n w as ff f i hful intellige t services , he o ered the stewa rdship of the sm all but proﬁtable

a at a n n a la est te R idi g , which , like Eise st dt, y in th a s na e cor nita t of Oedenburg . He w thus e bled L a . a to set up home of his own Ad m iszt,

n now a o a a e an bei g b ve thirty ye rs of g , beg to think seriously of getting to himself a p a r tner

n a m life . His choice fell on a you g Austri n of

n a a an and n ann prepossessi g ppe r ce ge tle m ers ,

nna La a an a an G a A ger , d ughter of rtis of erm n in a birth settled the little town of Krems , ne r

- nn a . n a nd a Vie Pure , ho est true he rted , she t A da m L is z and His Wi e. 15

proved a model housewife . She w as somewhat

a a n d a ff a t ll slenderly built, quite free from ect m an d a and n a n . tion , r ther si ple u ssumi g Her

a — a a and a — fe tures c lm , regul r pe ceful were a a a d a dorned by bl ck eyes , which imp rte bright

expression to her ki n dly fa ce . Her glossy and ra n- a a a ve bl ck h ir , which she wore br ided over

a an the temples , dded still more to her wom ly ’ gra ce and simplicity . Such w a s Franz Liszt s

mother .

a m L w as a a As for Ad iszt , he t ll , g unt ,

a an d a muscul r, of upright be ring ; his were

the an gula r features of his race . His hea d he

a a f a used to c rry r ther sti fly, with sort of defiant look indicative of his firm and ste adfa st

. a an a n a will His f ce , surrounded by bu d nt

- a al a light brown h ir, seemed most h rsh , owing to certa in wrin kles which pi nched his mouth ;

w a s a the expression of his eyes r ther deceiving , for wh at at ﬁrst might h ave been taken for sullenness or duplicity w a s soon found to be

an d an - ifﬁ but excess of iscretion d self d den ce .

a w a s an d t n a . Mor lly, he upright s rictly ho or ble Ad a m a nd Anna were both ferv ent Roman

a . IVithout n a nn a L C tholics bei g bigot , A iszt had a a n a in a - cert i religious bi s which , fter life , w as not without a certain inﬂuence on the

e d cisions of her s on . F ranz s Li zt.

II .

— 1 2 18 11 . n The Comet of October , First Impressio s . — — n . n Cou try Life Religious Feeli gs . The Gipsies . ’ a n a Fr z s Music l Disposition .

FR ANZ LISZT w as born in the eventful yea r of

18 11 . A comet of unusual brilliancy w a s then

u n a n and ill mi ing the sky by its gl ri g light , , in

21s t 22nd of the night of the to the October, ’ a L a u th t of iszt s birth , the t il of the wonderf l meteor seemed to light upon the very roof of ’ Adam Liszt s residence ; this the superstitious pea sants of the district seem to h ave regarded ’ a s an omen of the great pianist s destiny .

n w as Though not stro g , his constitution ela stic enough to en able him to bea r the

a a a n a nd emotions of life of git tio surprise . ’ L w a s a and ike his mother s , his ﬁgure t ll

l a s a a s ender for his fe tures , they soon cquired sympathetic and a ttra ctive beauty which (/ the wa s to h ave so decisive an i nﬂuen ce on his

n n a a n career . His abu d a t fair h ir w s growi g to a a a n a point on his forehe d , imp rting to his ge i l

a a a . a too f ce peculi r loveliness His eyes , r ther

F 18 ranz Lisz t.

da a silent night through the rk country ro d , ’ m filled the child s soul with ystic aw e . Those youthful impression s h ave indeed left their ma rk

on all a n L a the cre tio s of iszt , “but especi lly on a a a th t p rt of his gre t work , The Oratorio of ” “ ” n a a lV ih Christ, e titled Christm s Or torio ( e nachts Ora torium s ) , with its exqui ite portraya l ’ of m an s gratitude at the a dvent of his Re

deemer .

a a of a The Bohemi ns , those sw rthy sons Pust ,

al u a z a a n so left pon Fr n l sti g impression , the i nﬂuence of which is visible in his musical and

literary productions . No district of Hungary remained unvisited n by the gipsies . The eighborhood of Raiding w a s - im often crowded by their copper colored , - and a a a pulsive , we ther be ten hordes , with d rk , a a and at a p ssion te , the s me time mel ancholy

eyes . Their appearan ce in Raiding w as always

s n n l looked upon a a eve t for litt e Franz . Their

a a music , their songs , their d nces , their l nguid

L a ss an a nd mad F ris chka s , their mode of living,

a nd an a na a a an their weird f t stic exter l ppe r ce ,

a and a a h their ﬂ shing eyes crisp d rk h ir, t eir

and and a wives children , their coming w ndering

— all w a s and a a a mystery , m de them ppe r like Childhood .

’ some poetic and wonderful vision in the child s

mind . The ﬁrst ye ars of his life Fran z spent by his ’ mother s side , for he loved her with the deepest — te nderness a feeli ng which the emotion s of

a . a the world never could lter His f ther, too , he loved ; but his affection for him w as mingled

a a h with cert in respectful s yness . ’ Ada m Liszt s p assion for music w as undimin ished . By dint of persevering pra ctice Prince ’ Es terhazy s steward had improved his knowl

an edge d developed his power of execution .

a a and Though fondly tt ched to his wife child , music alone aﬁ orded him some consol ation for the cruel fate th at compelled him to follow the

a and a a a pros ic , to him , ntip thetic occup tion of

n and a a n steward . His whole feeli gs spir tio s were so be nt upon mus 1c th at whenever his

an duties left him y leisure , he would devote it to his favorite study .

and as Thus born brought up it were , in such a a a n o n a music l tmosphere , it is wo der th t the

an n atural a ptitudes of Fr z developed so rapidly .

IVhen a n in quite little boy , he ofte would , deed,

o a n and a n f rget his pl ythi gs , st nd listeni g, silent ’ and a a . pensive , to his f ther s pl ying O F nz z Z ra Lis t.

’ F ranz s p assionate lo ve of music . Progress on the instru — — n n n . He me t . F orebodi gs of his ge ius becomes ill . n Recovery . Resumes his lesso s . Improvisation .

n a n his a a a nd ann — a The fou d tio of ch r cter m ers . Sh ll he embra ce the musica l profession ?

ADAM LISZT soon noticed those unmistakable signs of a mind stamped for music ; he indeed a and w tched them with intense interest, with the joyful hope th at his beloved Franz might live to be some day a talented and reno w ned musician . Fran z had often openly expressed a a a i his wish to le rn the pi no , but before gr t fy

a a to ing th t wish, the f ther deemed it prudent a scertain whether it w as really the e arly m ani fes tation a a or a of voc tion , simply whim such ’ a s children are wont to express . The boy s e ntre aties were growing daily more urgent when one da an ear and a y he s g by correctly , in pure , ’ a a cle r voice , Ferdin nd Ries theme of the Con G ﬂ at a had n a certo in , lthough he o ly just he rd his father pl ay it for the ﬁrst time . Adam ’ Lis zt then resolved to encourage his son s apti L ove of Mus ic. 21

- tude and to give him lessons . A self taught man a se o a u a , Ad m posses d n re l m sic l method ; a n he , however, succeeded in imp rting the eleme ts of music to his little pupil . Although but six

a a z a a a . ye rs old , Fr n soon m de rem rk ble progress He rea d his notes and found the keys with a s much ease and conﬁdence as though he ha d been practising for years . He soon also dis played extraordinary delicacy and quickness of

s g a ear . His memory w a a stonishin His tten and erseveraﬁhg w ere a a tion p rem rk ble , so much so th at his fathe1 w as often obliged to order a a m a a him w y fro the pi no , lest his he lth should get impaired through wan t of bodily exercise and a a w as ment l recre tion ; for such , indeed, now his love of music that he w as neglecting a a his little pl ym tes , whose society he formerly used to seek with e agerness . His father h aving one day asked him wh at to he wished become , he , pointing to the picture of a a on a of m ster hung the w ll the room , r a and a eplied, with e rnest sp rkling eyes ” Such an one as he . That picture , represented

Beethoven . Al l a a to th t rel ted music seems , indeed, to

' have had for Franz an esp ecial attra ction . If not at a sitting the pi no , he would scribble notes, 22 F ranz Lis z t.

had a which , without instruction , he le rned to transcribe . He thus re a d musical notes long before he had m a stered the letters of the alph a bet and the rudiments of writing . When a child his small h an ds were a source of

a a s gre t trouble to him , however he might

a a an stretch his sm ll ﬁngers , they f iled to cover octave " To atta m his aim he wo uld often

all n a resort to ki ds of comic l expedients , such for instance a s playing the extra notes with the

n a a u of tip of his ose , to the gre t m sement his

u a p arents . When intent pon m stering some

a i f n music l d f iculty his ingenuity knew , i deed , no bounds . Ad am Liszt w as at ﬁrst delighted by so

a a and precocious t lent , left his son entirely free

nd ma n to pl ay as much a in such ner a s he liked .

a a a a He , however , noticed th t th t p ssion te love for music seemed to h ave a pernicious effect on the ’ v a n and child s highly ner ous temper me t, thought it prudent to check it by temporarily withdraw

. a t w as of ing his instruction Th , indeed , not

u a a m ch v il , for the boy only studied with

a and a w more rdor , his p ssion for music ent on

a n incre as ing d a ily . His fr il a d excitable nature

a a could not , however , withst nd the str in of his

and a roﬁci musical emotions , of his nxiety for p Illnes s . 23

anz had now for ency . Fr been studying music

as n some years . He w just enteri g upon the critical transitory period from childhood to a a boyhood . His body now ppe red to pine , the

t his and n bloom lef cheeks , his stre gth declined

and a visibly ; he grew feverish , lthough not

a an a displ ying the symptoms of y deﬁnite dise se , his legs soon grew too feeble to carry him and he had to lie He w as thus l a id up for m any

and weeks months , during which he received every care and attention th at fondly devoted p arents and skilled doctors could devise ; yet his mala dy seemed to b afﬂe science . No im

w a s a a and provement t king pl ce , his distressed p arents had almost given up the hope of saving

him . m , their only son Indeed , the ru or of his de ath had even been spread in the village " l and a Sudden y , however, when le st expected ,

a a a n ture conquered the dise se , he lth returned and the boy rapidly and thoroughly recovered so a a much so , indeed , th t he never there fter felt any consequence of that long illness . He also

and a a grew stronger, with he lth reg ined his of cheerful temper . His love music w as also undiminished he soon resumed his studies “ ” a inventions as his little music l , he used to a a at c ll his youthful ttempts composition . 24 F ranz Lis z t.

De s pite the forced idleness of his long months

n s had a of ill es , he not forgotten nything ; his mu s ica l aptitudes now seemed indeed more a a pparent th an before . He would pl y duets w t a a nd a a i h his f ther, e gerly try his h nd with

every piece of music he could get hold of . His cha ra cter ha d now a cquired the bent which it

w as to preserve in after life . One of its most promine nt fe atures w as the m arked love of the

a a a a boy for truth , which lw ys c used him fr nkly

to confess his little follies . Another of his characteri s tics th at much inﬂuenced his success through life w a s the stubborn perseverance a nd unwonted energy with which he would pursue the executi on of whatever scheme he set

his he a rt upon .

o a s n Br ught up , it were , to the tu e of Beet

’ o e n s m s a w a w a h v u ic , he l ys sho ed special

a a the a a p rti lity for works of the gre t m ster , wh ose powerful and soul-stirring music he w as de s ti ned to render with the a rtistic power and f n i is h peculia r to his ow n ge nius . The music of

s s to o s o in a the gip ie , , much h rmony with his

ow n a a nd a s s na n a a w rm p io te ture , seems to h ve exercised o n his mi nd a sort of mysterious and

s s a . a irrepre ible ch rm He would often , when

bo i a nd y , listen to the r unruly frenzied out

26 F ranz Lisz t.

’ a a so a at from spe king of his boy s t lent, th t va rious times youn g Fran z who w as alre ady k n own under the n a me of D er Kilns tler (the a had n a e rtist) , been i vited to pl y before som n a far dissuad disti guished musici ns , who , from ’ ing Ad a m Liszt from encouraging the child s

ha d n him a disposition , stro gly urged to pl ce Fran z under the guid ance of some efﬁcient tutor

a w as a n as his Ad m still , however, hesit ti g to ’ a e an . son s future c r er, when unexpected event soon en abled him to m ake up his mind in that

. n a a respect A you g blind noblem n , B ron von

a s of e had Br un , whom the los his fortun reduced

a his a a a to turn to ccount music l t lent, h ving he ard some of his confreres spea k most favor ’ a of un a a e a bly yo g Fr nz s pl ying , r quested Ad m Liszt to allow his son to play at a concert which w as a bout to be given in Oldenburg . a a and Inw rdly ﬂ ttered by the compliment , delighted at h avin g thus the opportunity of ’ an a to s a r putting Fr z s t lent the te t, the f the r adi e ly consented . The Concert t a Oldenburg. 27

— F ranz performs at public concerts in Oldenburg He

a n a in — pl ys before Pri ce Esterh zy Eise nsta dt . Ad a m Liszt gives up his situ a tion and leaves Ra idi ng in order

and s in nna . n in to go ettle Vie Co cert Presburg , He obta i ns from some Hungari a n nobles a pension for - — a n t c . n his s o n . Fr z is to s udy musi Ge erosity of

Hummel .

WHEN the nine-year-old boy w as informed of ’ a at his f ther s decision , his joy knew no bounds the prospect of pl aying for the ﬁrst time in

a a s n public . The desire for f me w i deed begin ning to m ake itself felt in his youthful soul . It w as a da a z a glorious y for Fr n , th t on which he started for Oldenburg in the comp any of his

a ff a f ther . Though still su ering from severe a a of a a tt ck intermittent fever, dise se endemic

a of a in the m rshy district R iding , the boy would

a of not he r the concert being postponed , but insisted on pl aying . His perform ance consisted of the rendering of the concerto in E-sharp by

a and a a a a ow n Ferdin nd Ries , free f nt si of his

c a a a . omposition , with orchestr l ccomp niment 28 F ranz Lisz t.

a u and The ﬁre , persever nce , power of exec tion , discretion which the boy exhibited were indeed

In a a a wonderful . this ﬁrst ttempt Fr nz g ve the proof of his possessing the two qualities — indispensable to a chieve success tale nt a nd

a will . His father and all who he rd him were delighted . Ad am then m ade a rrangements for a seco nd concert to be given in Oldenburg by

a Fran z on his ow n a cco unt . The success chieved by the youthful a rtist on this occ asion w a s at ’ leas t a s gre at as at Braun s co ncert . Having then fully m ade up his mind th at his s on an a a L at should become rtist , Ad m iszt once

a n a to returned to R idi g with Fr nz, in order wind up his affa irs and se ttle his a ccou nts with the ’ and t Prince ; for now , despite his wife s opposi ion , he had decided to give up his situa tion and to

nna d a a go to Vie , in or er to w tch person lly over ’ his son s educa tion .

w a a and On his y to Presburg, Ad m his son

a a n a c lled , in Eisenst dt, upon Pri ce Esterh zy, who showed gre at reluctance to a ccept the resign ation of s o good and trustworthy an ’ ofﬁcial as Franz s father ha d alw ays been . On

a n of a L le rni g the intentions Ad m iszt , the

n a a t Pri ce , however, displ yed the gre test interes ’ in the boy s talent ; having expressed the wish The Concer t a t Pres burg. 29

a a w a s at to he r him pl y, he so delighted his a rtistic a ptitude th at he gave him substantial

n a n an d a a at e cour geme t, even pl ced his c stle ’ Presburg at Liszt s disposal for the concert which it w as contempl ated th at Fran z should give there the Princess herself treated the boy

a and with the gre test kindness , dismissed him with costly presents .

a L Arrived in Presburg, Ad m iszt busied him self with the prelimina ries of the concert which w a s to h ave such a powerful inﬂuence on the u career of the future virtuoso . Pa rtly o t of r a a a deference for Prince Este h zy, p rtly lso out of curiosity to hea r the youthful a rtist whose

a w as a a a n f me lre dy spre di g , every member of the Hungaria n aristocra cy then in Presburg

’ promised to atten d the co ncert . The per formance Wa s given under the most favorable a one of a n - uspices , in the gorgeous dr wi g rooms ’ of the prince s p alace situ ated in the Vorstadt

a a a a Blumenth l , then the most f shion ble p rt of n Presburg . Among the audie ce were some of the highest magnates of Hungary : Counts

Erdoed S za ar and a . y, p y, Apponyi , m ny others ’ — Fran z s co ncert w as not a mere success it w a s nd a triumph . The originality a ﬁre of the ’ child s execution took connoisseurs by surprise . 3 0 F ranz Lisz t.

’ The enthusia sm w a s i mmen se ; Fran z s playing w a s received with almost frantic a pplause ; a ccording to the custo m th at obtains a mong those wa rm and demon strative Hungarian folk the a a u a a a c l dies , not s tisﬁed with s bst nti lly knowledging the ple asure he had caused them a s would h ave been the case with their more

a an d a a a phlegm tic form l sisters of Engl nd , g ve vent to their feelings by embracing and fondly c aressing the boy who had just given such a

of a . men striking proof t lent As for the , they were unanimous in a cknowledging that such extra ordina ry abilities must be cultivated with out delay .

It w a s a , indeed , with inexpressible delight th t Ada m Liszt w atched the revival of the a spira tions of his whole life and their near re alization

. w as in his only son He , however , confronted by a stern difﬁculty how long c ould his scanty means enable him to face the expenses of his ’ son s education and of his own keeping ? One of the noblemen who , since the Presburg concert, ’ seemed to ta ke exceptional interest in Franz s

a n da a nd m a future , h vi g one y , ore strongly th n

a a n usu l , urged upon Ad m the ecessity of giving

n t n the a a i struc io to the boy , f ther fr nkly ex

pl a ined to him the circumstances of his position . ’

F ra nz s E ducation . 31

The w as a of a Count , for such the r nk th t noble man far a n a to , from discour gi g Ad m , proposed raise among his friends a subscription destined ’ n an a a nd to cover the expe ses of Fr z s educ tion , a to which he natur lly w as the ﬁrst to contribute . The promise of a contribution h a ving bee n

a m a obt ined fro ﬁve other noblemen , mong whom

Erdoed S z a ar and were Counts y , p y , Apponyi , ’ a at i t w a s a a Fr nz s former p rons , greed th t they would severally co ntribute for six ye ars a yearly income of six hundred Austri an gulden to be p aid to Ada m Liszt towa rds the expenses of ’ Franz s musica l education .

an a Thus relieved of his xiety , Ad m , with his mind still full of the talent th at had so much

a a n a a t a f scin ted him whe in the c stle Eisenst dt , and conﬁde ntly relying on the old friendship

had which , from his youth, existed between

and to c a Hummel himself, wrote the musi i n , who w as now b andmaster to the Court in

a d of aﬁ ec Weim r , remin ing him their former ’ n a n n a and tio , expl i i g his son s ptitudes successes , ’ and requesting Hummel to underta ke Fra nz s a a mus 1cal education . After some del y letter a a in a rrived from Weim r , which Hummel , fter expressing his willingness to undertake the e a n of a a duc tio so t lented boy, wound up by 32 F ranz Lisz t.

a a s ying th t , in his present position , he could not ’ do so under a lois d or per lesson 1 Considering ’ a a a w as e uiva Ad m s circumst nces , such reply q lent to a refusal .

Y et a a a h , sixty ye rs l ter (April , lthoug a a a z L t ne rly seventy ye rs old , Fr n isz , with a a noble disinterestedness , g ve concert to cover the cost of a statue erected in Presburg to the f a memory o the s me Hummel .

34 F ranz Lisz t.

Ad am Liszt had thus the satisfaction of se curing for his son the v aluable tuition of an

n a his emi ent rtist, who thoroughly fulﬁlled views of wha t artistic t aste should be . His fees — Czerny modestly put down to gulden n ot ’

. a a w a s to louis d or His ch r cter , indeed , the ’ n reverse of Hummel s . His ge erosity w as pro

v erbial . at end When , the of the twelfth lesson , Ada m Liszt expressed the wish of p aying the t had deb he incurred , Czerny most generously

u a an a n an d ref sed to ccept y compens tio , , during ’ the whole of Franz Liszt s stay in Vienna — about eighteen months he continued to in

un ra tis ro D eo. a struct his yo g pupil g p Ad m , who w a s anxious th at his son sho uld be in structed in every branch of knbw ledge rel ating

to had a a music , lso requested Antonio S lieri , the old Italian composer and au thor of the successful “” a Axur a e a oper of , to undert k the theoretic l ’ u a a n a ed c tion of Fr nz , for Czer y s tuition rel ted

h a of a a solely to t e pr ctice pi noforte pl ying .

a w as a a a a a S lieri , who then septu gen ri n , lleged

a a a e and his dv nced g , with needed rest , , much ’ a to his regret , compelled him to decline Ad m s

a . a a propos l H ving , however , been pre“v iled upon to listen to the pl aying of the little

a s a w as a prodigy, Fr nz then gener lly known li P ecu ar ities of the P up il . 3 5

nn a a the in the Vie music l world , like Czerny ,

a a a a is and It li n m ster ltered h mind, undertook ’ to te a ch h armony to Adam s son .

a z his a had ai Fr n , whom f ther previously lowed to pl ay with unrestrained freedom a nd a n a a ccordi g to his f ncy, could not now ccustom himself to the form al and disciplined rules of ’ Czerny s method of instruction . " uite heedless ’ n a and of his you g pupil s peculi rities , of his a a a n a lre dy sserted i dividu lity , Czerny went on ’ schooling the boy s ﬁngers . Accustomed to fol

al a low his own music impulse , Fr nz could not bear wh at to him w a s only a restriction put upon his playing ; his artistic n ature revolted a a al m and a n g inst methodic for s , f iled to u der

a of ma and a st nd the necessity for l , dry, mech n

a a m a a ic l rudiments , which bec e so ntip thetic to

a a a a and him th t he eventu lly bec me obstin te ,

u n a . a t r ed refr ctory And yet, of the technic lities

a a of music , he possessed then no found tion wh t e ver . Wh at instruction his father had been able to gi ve him w a s indeed but mere dilet

. a t tantism. O w ing to the r pidi y of his ﬁngering and to the e ase with which he could rea d music a t h e ﬁrst sight, both of whic were doubtl ss

a a e a m m rvellous for his g , Fr nz believed hi self already a great artist . It had never occurred 36 F ranz Lisz t.

a of to his childish mind th t smoothness touch ,

a n and a cle rness of executio , correct technic l a a a nd knowledge , were the essenti l b ses condi tions of a rtistic pl aying . ’ Czerny s pra ctised eye at once detected his ’ n and u u pupil s deﬁcie cy, sed lo sly contrived to n remove it in his stern a d systematic m anner . Franz must now do nothing else but study a ﬁnger exercises . Czerny pl ced in his hands ’ G a ad Parnas sum and Muzio Clementi s r dus ,

a a a a a all cal v rious son t s by the s me m ster, culated to impart form and mechanism to the

pl aying of his pupil . The études did not suit

an as Fr z , they were too“monotonous for the a a far a son t s , they seemed too e sy to him ; he

as a a all at could , he f ncied , pl y them ﬁrst sight,

and th at wounded his childlike vanity . C zerny

w a s a , however, inexor ble ; he would not be per ' suaded and on ra idit , insisted not p y, but on well-deﬁned touch and correctness of execution in a an d a z a moder te time , obliged Fr n to pl y

a a and a a n a l g in g i the s me themes , unti he

a n . could m ster them to perfectio The boy, being of opinion th at he long ago alrea dy kne w

- a nd at them , grew ill humored , quite vexed his

a w as inﬂexible te acher . Fancying th t Czerny

and a impeding his progress , th t everything went ’ Czerny s Tuition .

a a too slowly with him , he compl ined to his f ther a nd begged for another m aster . His grievan ce

h a a met , however, wit no symp thy from Ad m

L n u a iszt , who , however , notici g the disco r ge

son a n and a n ment of his , c lled on Czer y , , h vi g ’ expl ained to him Franz s disple asure wi th Cle

n n a a an me ti , i duced the te cher to lter his pl of ’ a n a s a a educ tio , so to t ke into ccount the pupil s

n na n h i cli tions respecti g the c oice of his music . ’ an w a s a an Fr z now s tisﬁed with Czerny s guid ce , and henceforth n o fresh misunderstandi ng ever n o ccurred between pupil and te acher . Si ce due ’ a w a s a a reg rd p id to his pupil s origin lity , Czerny observed with surprise the a stonishi ng improve

n a a n . an n me t notice ble in his pl yi g Fr z , i deed , soon acquired a richn ess of feeli ng wonderful in

n an so young a student . Without losi g y of his

n a nd a power, feeli g , w rmth of expression , his

a w a s now a an d a a n pl ying so e sy gr ceful , th t whe a t the pian o he seemed as moved by some invis ’ n a ible springs . Tha ks to Czerny s tuition Fr nz ga ined an a rtistic technicality and correctness of rendering which helped in no sm al l degree to

a a a a a develop his n tur l f culties , f ct which , when

he a a a grown up , lw ys th nkfully remembered and acknowledged . ’ Salieri s instruction w as also highly successful . 3 8 F ra nz Lis z t.

His gre at merit is to h ave given his pupil a sound and reliable ba sis of theoretical musical

a a nd a . a a a educ tion He m de him re d , n lyze ,

a and exer pl y the scores , diligently kept him to

a a a on t cise in h rmony , lw ys insisting correc notation Those exercises in h armony were mostly in the form of short pieces of s acred

h a a a music , whic Fr nz lw ys composed to the

s atisfa ction of his tea cher . The l a tter w a s pa r

ticularl a a Tantum er o y ple sed with g , to the production of which Fra nz ha d devoted all his

attention and knowledge . The young artist had now acquired such proﬁciency th a t he w as

a a a and a ble to re d , quite un ided with rel tive ’

a . f cility, Beethoven s scores

a s n N 0 music w difﬁcult e ough for Fran z . One ’ day he called at the chief music a l publisher s in d nn a an o . Vie , requested to be shown s me music

w a s n a As he dismissi g piece fter piece , under

n a a a the pretext of their bei g too e sy , the ssist nt ,

a a n ow quite out of p tience , f ncied he would seize the opportunity of confounding the bea s t of

n a and the you g rtist , forthwith produced Hum ’ m B-ﬂ a t now n el s Concerto in , even co sidered a s technically one of the most difﬁcult pieces of

a a n all music ; but, to the m zeme t of present , Fran z played it off withou t the slightest

hesitation . His Advantages . 3 9

Imbued wi th the prejudices of the eighteenth

w a s a s a a an century , when it the f shion to y th t a all a art rtist must neglect th t is foreign to his , ’ Ada m Liszt had strictly limited his son s edu

a . a e a a c tion to music But with g , Fr nz bec me a a w l live to the necessity of gener l kno edge ,

a a and a which he cquired lone ; when , th nks to his genius an d to the inﬂuential friendships he had had a a a won , he lre dy scended the steps of the l adder of fame (for Franz Liszt w a s not only the emi nent musician whose wonderful perform ances the a al world delighted to he r) , he so a chieved no m ean success as an erudite and graceful writer ’ a L a a However gre t iszt s t lent , it c nnot be denied th at the extraordinary ch ance he had of m a king at an e a rly age the acqu aintan ce of the most inﬂue ntial members of the proud Austrian a a a a a ristocr cy , llied by m rri ge to the most ex a a w a s a a lted f milies of Europe , p rtly the c use of

a his eminently successf ul c areer . Th nks to the

a a a a recommend tion of his noble Hung ri n p trons , he w a s welcomed in the best society in Vienn a .

a a a a His rem rk ble t lent , his youth , his viv city, a nd a a a a a the ch rm of his ppe r nce , soon g ined new p atrons for him . The protection now ex tended to him w a s no longer form al ; it became 4 F z 0 ran Lisz t. the n atural expression of the mterest felt for his person a nd for his talent . His peculia rly gra ceful and attra ctive fe a tures also contributed in no s mall degree to win for him the favor of

a a a w as a the f ir sex , circumst nce which to h ve a la sting inﬂuence on his life .

Thus eighteen months were spent in Vienna . u a w as D ring the leisure left by his studies , Fr nz ofte n invited to pl ay in the most fa shion able s alons and a w a s a , his rtistic progress such th t ,

a sa a a s a in music l circles , people used to y th t,

a t a now pi nis , Fr nz could compete with the most

m ne a n da . a w t le ted virtuosi of the y Ad , being ’ a n a a s tisﬁed of his so s bility , m de up his mind

to bri ng him before the Vienna public . The ’ a t w as a a a a a s boy s popul ri y lre dy so gre t , th t , ’ s oon a s a a , the f ther s intention bec me known , everybody looked forwa rd with the gre atest

expectation to this ﬁrst public appe arance . The concert w a s announced for the 1st of

1822 un a a had December , ; the m icip l uthorities ’ cour teously pl aced the town-h all at Ada m Lizs t s

a and a z w as a a dispos l , Fr n ssisted by sever l

a a a w a s popul r rtists , foremost mong whom the

a nd n a n youthful promisi g K roli e Unger , for whom ” Beethoven w as then writing his Melusine .

4 2 F ranz Lis z t.

of the L an a Viennese for iszt , enthusi sm which

as da and h endured to the present y, to which

a a t a must be scribed the gr eful , though somewh t aﬁ ected a a a L has a a , p rti lity which Fr nz iszt lw ys displayed towards the city and the people who were the ﬁrst to acknowledge his rising talent . VI.

— — ’ n a n n . F an sec Beethoven . Co vers tio with Schi dler r z s

o nd n in nna 13 — n co cert Vie (April , Beethove ’ n a an n honors the you g rtist s perform ce with his prese ce .

IT w as only after this concert th at the rising reputation of his ardent little admirer re ached the e a rs of Beethoven in the then secluded life h to which the m aster ad elected to retire . Until ’ n a and a ‘ Anton Schi dler , Beethoven s secret ry f ith ’ a of a z ful comp nion his solitude , mentioned Fr n s

a maes tro a ha d a n me to the , the l tter no ide of the existence of one who w as to enable the world to grasp the wonderful genius hidden in his own mighty compositions . Beethoven, whose time w as now entirely devoted to his beloved art w as a d w as inﬂexibl , in ccessible ; his oor y a h closed to str ngers , w ether provided with letters of introduction or not . Several times a a a z a a a had lre dy, Fr n , ccomp nied by his f ther, ’ endeavored to gain a dmittance to the m aster s

. a presence , but without success The persever nce

a a of the boy seems , however, to h ve speci lly attracted the notice and won for him the sy m ( 4 3 ) 44 F ranz Lisz t.

a of h the p thy Sc indler, who wrote following ’ a re un lines , which to be fo d in Beethoven s dia“ry for the ye a r 1823 Little Liszt ha s entrea ted me to beg you to write for

a o n ch a a an a a a t n him theme , whi to pl y f t si the co cert he

- E r o r o o humiliter domin a tionem is to give to morrow . g g

vestra m si la cca t s criber e u num thema not a , p , ; he will bre k ’ n the sea l until the concert begi ns . As for the little o e s

an a a a re not and da f t si s , they very serious , the y is still dis

an n one a s a t t whe will be ble to y of him , Er

’ e t w as a and a Be thoven s curiosi y roused , h ving expressed the desire to know something more of “ ” n the i teresting little boy, Schindler wrote fu“rther — C arl Czerny is his tea cher the boy is only eleve n 9“ K a . to n a a ye rs old Come his co cert , it will surely muse rl

a i a a in to he r the l ttle fello w play . Wh t pity he is the h ands of Czerny

’ He even so exaggerated and extolled Franz s

a n a n a t le t th t , bei g pressed for further inform tion, he wrote

a a a You might h ve guessed it . But it is pity th t your - lofty genius is buried in pi anoforte compositions ( Ihr hoher G enius in Kla viers a chen begr a ben w ird for the most

n n a re n na n disti guished works of this ki d u fortu tely eglected , because pi anists nowa days a re losing more and more the ” a a a n t ste for wh t is good d bea utiful .

’

n n n n a . Beethove s ephew , the sixtee ye rs old B eethoven a t the Concer t.

He now urged his ma ster in the following good-humored ma nner

But you will m ake up for your late somewh at unfriendly ’ n n n - a t n receptio by bei g prese t to morrow little Liszt s co cert .

n n a a Will you ot ? It will e cour ge the boy . Promise me th t ” you will go ?

ma a Thus requested , the ster went , but he g ve no theme for a fanta sia . “ The second concert w a s given in the Re doute on the 13th of April . It w a s even more numerously attended th an the ﬁrst . The hall w as overcrowded . When Franz stepped before

a the public , who were expect ntly looking up to

a a him, he perceived Beethoven se ted ne r the ’ a and n a a e pl tform , oticed the m ster s e rnest ey meditatively ﬁxed upon him . F ar from being bewildered by so great an hon or a s this visit

of a a z w as from the prince musici ns , Fr n ﬁlled

and . with pride joy Among other pieces , he ’ a B-ﬂ at and as pl yed Hummel s Concerto in , “, u a a a su l , concluded his perform nce by free ” a a a f a f nt si , but not rom theme written by the ’ n — a great ma much to the boy s dis ppointment . ’ This concert only added fresh fame to Franz s n ame . After e ach mea sure his playing beca me m and and ore glowing ﬁery , his whole being se e a and a emed lev ted kindled , so to spe k , by 4 6 F ranz Lis z t.

some invisible power . The most profound si

u a lence reigned thro ghout the perform nce , but w h w as a en this over, the public g ve vent to their feelings of enthusia sm and a dmiration without - h the s lightest restraint . Never yet ad Franz scored such a success . Beethoven himself could

a his a a and a not restr in dmir tion , scending

a he re ea tedl kiss ed the lorious the pl tform , p y g bo a a s of a y, mid the fr ntic cheer the ssembled multitude VII .

nn n - Consequence of the second Vie a co cert . Ou the w ay

in n tutt ard a . n S a . to P ris Co certs Mu ich , g , Str sburg — — e n n . a a n Pa ris . Cherubi i P r gives Fr z i struction in

— n in s n . a n a compositio Perform ces the s a lo . The ris

tocrac a a an a n i y . First ppe r ce before Fre ch publ c . ’

an n and ann . n F r z s executio m ers His improvis atio s .

His success . Humor of the time .

THE concert of the 13th of April w as important to Franz in m any respects ; it left him recollec

and a tions never to be forgotten , consecr ted his n e thusi a sm for the immort al Beethoven . The ’ consequences of th at concert on Liszt s artistic career were also remark able ; the press now began t o echo the admiration his per formance

i of had awakened . The welcome intell gence the existe nce of a new musical genius borrowed still more signiﬁcance from the fa ct of its proceeding

a a ar excellence from Vienn , the then music l city, p , where not long before H aydn and Mozart had

and and w as lived worked , where Beethoven still engaged in the production of his gigantic a d- a of L cre tions . The worl wide reput tion iszt as a a a pi nist d tes , indeed , from the second ( 4 7 ) 4 8 F ranz Liszt.

Vienna concert a reput ation which through life clung to him with so much persis tence that ’ Franz s n ame became identical with the consu m

a l of a an d a m te skil virtuoso when , l ter on , his

creati ve a had a power, th t reve led itself in so a stonishing a manner in the free fantasi a s of

had a his youth , re ched full perfection , his repu tation as a pianist cas t in the eyes of the public an i njurious sha dow over the new m anifestation of his m anifold genius . Another consequence of the second Vienna concert w a s to enable Ad am Liszt to foresee the

a a n a had n re liz tio of the dre m he lo g cherished , of giving his son a simila r univers al musical edu c ation to th at which Mo zart had enjoyed before ’ a him . This did not occur to Franz s f ther by

mere ch ance . It had often been rem arked in ’ Vienna society th at the child s genius expressed ’ itself in the s ame w ay a s Moz a rt s . The follow ’ in n are g lines , written by Beethove s nephew, ’ indeed foun d in the great composer s dia ry

a n w a s and L st week he ( Czer y) with me , begged me ’ not to omit going to Y oung Liszt s concert ; he then began to ’ a n a nd a and extol his pupil s t le t , to comp re him with you ”

a n at a e . Moz rt (whe you were both his g ) , etc

Just as Leopold Mo zart had taken dear Wo

5 0 F ranz Lisz t.

- a z and h r the long cherished project . Fr n his fat e

a a a and a to left the Austri n c pit l , took the ro d

a . ow e o w a P ris They , h ev r, st pped on their y in the various cities through which they had to

a and a L a an p ss , Ad m iszt rr ged for concerts

in a e s on w ho to be given them by his t lent d , met every w here with a s enthusiastic a nd a s a ab In f vor le a reception a s in Vienn a . Munich

e r a a c a the pr ss p ocl imed him se ond Moz rt , and in S tuttgard it p oi nted him out a s b eing the

a and in e t v n er or to the equ l , , som respec s , e e sup i best pianists of Eu rope . In S trasburg Fran z gave tw o pe rform ances one in the Z um Geist

a and th e e in a e a t ot he H ll , oth r the the tr ; b h w a s received with the same enthusiasm th at ha d

o r greeted his previ us pe form ances . Two months h ad scarcely elapsed since their

a r a am L z n dep rtu e from Vienn , when Ad is t a d his s on entered Pa ris . It w as then about the middl e of December . Provided with wa rm letters of ’ recommend ation in Prin ce Metternich s own

a a n a a h nd , Ad m felt conﬁdent respecti g the re liz tion of his dearest wish : the a dmission of his s on

a n of to the Conserv toire , the the best school

n and a s it counterpoi t composition , reckoning ,

a its o s a s did, mong profess rs uch eminent men the ta n m Be a nd immor l Cherubi i , who ethoven A t Paris . 5 1

H aydn regarded as the gre atest dram atic com

of da n n B a n poser the y ; A to eich , the frie d of

a n and a and a Beethoven , H yd , S lieri ; the P rme s a n nan a ha d Ferdi do P er, who succeeded Spontini

ea a and in the direction of the Th tre It lien , whose “ ” a L a a oper entitled eonor , so ple sed Beethoven

a a th t he m de it the theme of his Fidelio .

G a L In his es mmelte Schriften , iszt devotes a p ass age to the reception Cherubini gave to his ’ as father and himself . It w ten o clock in the

on da morning when , the y following their a a a a L and a h rriv l in P ris , Ad m iszt his son re c ed ’ mae tro ha a Cherubin i s house . The s d al re dy

a a left for the Conserv toire , where they eventu lly f . ew am found him After the ﬁrst words , Ad ’ mentioned Prince Metternich s letters of r ecom mendation and w a s about to produce them in

a a n n support of his pplic tio , whe Cherubini , v at rather bluntly , refused to e en look them

a a how a dding th at in no c se could foreigner , ever powerfully recommended and howeve r

a m a a gifted , be d itted to the French N tion l

a m a and School of Music . Ad m re onstr ted ,

an a Fr z himself , with te rs in his eyes , begged

a a that an exception might be m de in his f vor , but Cherubi ni remained inexorable . Some peo ’ ple have a scribed to petty j ealousy the maes tro s 2 F ranz Liszt.

refus al to throw open the doors of the Conserva h to an . u a a n n ot o w toire Fr z S ch lleg tio s do ,

a h u ever, rest upon y serious ground , for it wo ld

to a be foolish suppose th t Cherubini , whose reputa tion w a s solidly established and who had

a a a -w a m as a lre dy cquired world ide f e composer, could h ave fel t either je alousy or envy a t the - - talent of a twelve year old youth . However

a ma a th t y be , the decision seems to h ve come

like a thunderbolt on father and son alike .

a is u a Dishe rtened by th nexpected issue , Ad m seems to have regarded his journey to Paris a s an utter failure he ha d even made up his mind

a a at a ac to le ve P ris once , when he m de the ' ua a of a a e a q int nce Ferdin ndo P r, who , h ving

a a a he rd the young virtuoso pl y, eng ged to give

him lessons in com position .

a z a w a a new diﬂi culties Fr n , l ys e ger for , dis

a a t in his s and pl yed the gre tes energy tudy, soon beca me rem a rk ably proﬁcient in the mas tery of the rules of composition ; Pa er h avi ng informed Ad a m Liszt of the progress of his

a n a n ow pupil , the f ther, seei g th t his son must follow up the former s uccesses of his c areer a s a u t n virt oso , considered the momen opportu e for m aking use of the letters of recommendatio n he had been provided with on leaving Vienna by l Pop u arity a t P aris . 53

the leading members of the Hungarian nobility

for their Fre nch fello w noblemen . All the

s alons a a a as of the ristocr cy in P ris were , if by L a a an d . m gic , thrown open to Ad m iszt his son Fra nz w as even invited to pl ay before the

and of a Duchess of Berri before the Duke Orle ns ,

a a a w as who , few ye rs l ter, to become King

of a n a L Fr nce , u der the n me of ouis Philippe . The latter bestowed every attention upon the

d a w as youthful pro igy ; he , it is s id , the ﬁrst person in Paris who dubbed Franz le p etit

Moz ar t.

a as a a z a In P ris , in Vienn , Fr n bec me the fa shion ; everybody w as anxious to secure his

a attendance at s oirées . Thus it w as th t le p etit Litz a s a a an d , the P risi ns used to write pro

n a w as at nou ce his n me , invited to perform the delightful concerts then organized by Rossini in the gorgeous m ansions of the best Pa risian

s ociety . There Franz met with the most distin — gu ished musician s of the day the pianists Henri Herz a n d Mos cheles the violinists Lafont and e a Na der mann De Beri t ; the h rpist Tulon ,

the ﬂ utis t a X . an d of Ch rles , numerous other virtuosi of the highest order . Franz soon became the pet of the l a dies : they

to a and delighted he r his broken French , used ‘

54 F ranz Lisz t.

to spoil and fondle him quite a s much as their

. n a as a Viennese sisters I deed , in P ris in Vienn , ’ the socia l distan ce which divided Franz s position from that of the proud aristocracy seemed not

to exist for th at enfant gdté of society . On 8th a 1824 a z the of M rch , , Fr n performed for the ﬁrst time in public since his arrival in

Paris . The performance took pl ace in the bean

tiful Italian Opera House . This concert w as a t tended by the elite of Parisian society . As a tribute of admiration for the talent of the young

a it w as a a a a of pi nist , rr nged th t the orchestr

a a a a and the It li n Oper , then the best in Fr nce a in Europe , should ssist him ; but from the

a a a a s moment Fr nz beg n to pl y , the musici n - were so spell bound by his m a sterly. execution th at their whole attention w as bent upon hear

and a a m ing w tching his perform nce , so uch so that they quite forgot to take up the ritornella

as all with him . The execution w the more difﬁcult that the music rendered w as one of ’ and a a z Hummel s concertos , th t young Fr n pl ayed it off by heart and without the slightest

a a a a of . hesit tion , then fe t unhe rd before ’ Franz s success w a s such th a t he could never hope thereafter to surp ass it . The highest person a a a a ges in the udience , in ccord nce with French The P aris Concer t. 5 5

a a f shion , sent him word to c ll upon them in

in con ratu their boxes , order to receive their g lations . The press itself indulged in extr“ava a a n a a s g nt pr ise , pointi g to Fr nz being the ” eighth wonder of the world ; people put him a aralel t o a an d aﬁ ected s a in p wi h M z rt , to y th at his talent a s a pianist w as superior to Mos ’ cheles s . Ga the b a in ll , cele r ted phrenologist , sisted on taking a plaster-cast of his skull and

a . a a forehe d , in order to study upon it T lm , the

a t a a a to s gre t r gedi n , cl sped him his bo om with

a ff and a a tender ection, foretold for him gre t future . From that concert dates the a ffection of the Ma rquess of No ailles for young Liszt . ’ The l atter s exec ution must indeed h ave exer ’ cis ed a powerful inﬂue nce on the Marquess s m in a t a ind , for spite of the f c of his being

a thorough mis nthropist, owing to the dire mis fortunes he had had to endure through the stormy

and period of the Revolution of the Empire , he a llowed the child so completely to win his sym p athy that he himself took the trouble of ar ranging for his young p rotégé an album contai n ing a collection of excellent copies from the best

a as na an a a p inters , so to e ble Fr z to cquire knowledge of the m a sterpieces of p ainting . It may here be remarked th at circumstances 56 F ranz Lisz t. themselves seemed to compete to bring success to

. of the young virtuoso Indeed , the spirit the ’ time in France favored Franz s debut in Paris in I the h appiest possible m anner . t w as then the

a a z enith of the Restoration . The ment l we riness and insouciance which followed the wild excite ment brought about by the storm s and terrors of

and a a the Revolution, the nxious nguish caused

a ha d a by the w rs of the Empire, now been repl ced by the el asticity of mind and w armth of fe elings a t peculi r o French people .

5 8 F ran“z Liszt. n w a s a ou le you g composer Don S ncho , Chat ’ ” eau l Amour . a de H ving settled this point, Fra nz devoted all his energy and tale nt to set

of the words to music, under the direction

Pa er . But the extra ordinary talent of the young ma s ician eve ntu ally aroused the e nvy and the h atred

an d a a of his competitors , their je lousy dict ted

a a to them nonymous thre tening letters , which became d aily more numerous . These frightened the quiet and rather retired disposition of Adam

L a a a iszt, so much so th t life in P ris now bec me

a an d a as intoler ble to him , c used him to wish a nxiously to le ave th at city as he had been

desirous to come to it . A short time after the a rrival of the Liszt ’ a a an a a a c f mily in P ris , Fr z s f ther m de the

a n an a d n a qu i t ce of Pierre Er r , the emi ent pi no ' a n a bein about a forte m uf cturer, who , g to st rt

L n n a an for o do , where he possessed br ch busi

n a nd n a a a w as ess , seei g th t the se son in P ris

n a a an him now over , i vited Ad m to ccomp y to

a a Engl an d with Franz . Er rd h vi ng pointed out to Ad a m Liszt the a dvant age likely to

a n w a s a a ccrue from their jour ey , it greed th t the l atter should a ccomp any Era rd with Franz L w as to ondon, where the boy to give concerts P ar ting from his Af other . 5 9

a n a o a during the rem i der of the se s n , fter which

a and s on a f ther should return to Fr nce , there to undertake a tour in the provinces . Ad a m would be thus en abled to rest quietly and recruit his

a n a an d a f ili g he lth , to forget the molest tions he had n n n n bee subj ected to by u pri cipled perso s , j ealous of the success a chieved by his son ; while Franz himself could continue the career he ha d

a . a and embr ced But , before st rting , in order to a n a n a a void u necess ry expe se , Ad m decided th t

ha d a his wife , who followed them to P ris , should return to Austria an d stay with her sister at Gratz until the completion of the con cert to urs . This indeed w as sa d news to Franz ; he ha d

d a a a m never live w y from his de r mother, who he loved deeply . He urged upon his father that since he himself w a s earning the li velihood of

a a the f mily with his perform nces , they might well make some sa criﬁce in order to reta in the dea r comp any of his mother . He begged a nd

a nd a all n cried pr yed ; his e tre aties fa iled .

n a a and a a Bei g of h rsh stern n ture , Ad m only looked at the positive side of things ; se ntiment h a d no h old on him . Besides he fa iled to un ’ ders tan d the beneﬁci al inﬂuence of a woman s tea chings on a young boy ; it never occurred to F r isz 60 a nz L t.

a men him th t if brought up too exclusively by , the judgment of a boy will become vitiated and ta ke a wrong direction . The father w as inex c a a ha d w as a n r ble , lthough , he foreseen he t ki g

a a le ve of his wife for the l st time in this world , ' there is little doubt that he would h ave altered

a a as a his mind . The sep r tion w cruel one for

a a - and a t Fr nz he felt he rt broken , for long ime ’ after w a rd the mere mention of his dear mother s n ame would bring te ars to his eyes

m of Ma 1824 a and In the onth y , , f ther son

a a a r st rted , in the comp ny of Er rd, on thei

n an L ﬁrst jour ey to Engl d, ondon being their ultimate destin ation . Although the ways and manners of the English people contra sted strong ly with those of the wa rmer and more im pulsive races he had until then mixed with Adam felt relieved on his a rrival in London he w as no longer worried by t he thre ats an d men aces which of late m ade life in Pa ris intoler

a . a and ble to him As for Fr nz, young cheerful a s w a s n he then , he could not reco cile himself to the dull sky and smoke-begrimed buildings of a a a nd the British c pit l besides , the dry cold formalism of British society were so opposed to his exuberant nature and to the wa rm out

of and a a a bursts both Viennese P risi ns , th t he In L ondon . 6 1

n felt quite dis appointed . I Paris he had been

da the hero of the y, the fondling of the most ex a lted and h andsomest members of the f“air sex wherea s here everybody called him M aster ” ” L all w as iin er a iszt ; for he ein j g Herr, virtuoso no doubt gifted with a talent unhe ard

a t a e a all a d of his g , tow rd whom professed miration but a a an d , me sured , cool reserved a a t had dmir tion , unlike the ou bursts he been a ccustomed to ; the dallying and playing with

w a s at an a the boy now end , enthusi sm kept

n a and within due bounds , everything bei g form l correct in this lan d of social proprieties . No doubt the London aristocr acy appreciated the ’ boy s talent quite as fully a s their Vienna and

a a ad P ris colle gues , but they expressed their miration in strict conformity with the strictest

the m rules of ost rigid etiquette , though often carrying the same to extremes . ’ a a L As in P ris , Fr nz s concerts in ondon were

n a a and co ﬁned princip lly to priv te circles , more especi ally to those of the highest society . The fa me of the youn g musician h aving re a ched the

a G . a a an e rs of eorge IV , th t mon rch comm ded ’ an a n an a t a nd w a s a Fr z s tte d ce court, so ple sed by the perform ance th at he tre ated young Lisz t with the utmost favor . F r a nz Lis z t.

21st oi un 1824 a z a On the J e , , Fr n g ve his ﬁrst public concert in London . His performance consisted in the rendering of one of Nepomuk ’ m t a nd an Hu mel s concer os , in the execution of

n ha m a . u d i provis tion D ring the co certo , he the honor of being a ccompanied by an orchestra u nder the distinguished and able le adership of

Sir G . Smart. His pl aying sec ured general a p

laus e a nd a had p , the rtists , who followed his

t a a m him execution wi h perfect m ze ent, encored repe atedly and un animously Y et tha t w a s nothi ng to the ovation he received after he had performed a n improvisation on a theme quite

n i o unknow to him . The Morn ng P s t of June

23rd 1824 a n n " , , s id with refere ce to this co cert

When Sir G . S ma rt ha d requested the p ublic for a theme on which M a ster Liszt could ‘ ’ a a ha n Z -Z a work , l dy vi g suggested itti itti , ’ ’ a l m in a a nd me ody fro Ross i s B rbiere , which

a n ha d n n a a a t Fr z ever see or he rd , the l tter o nce resumed his se at a t the pia no (after the

a had la h orchestr p yed the melody once t rough) , and improvised a fugue thereon . Lo ndon w as a s surprised a s P a ris h ad been by the m anifestations of such extraordina ry

In n s in a a a . L a t lent o don , the French c pit l , ’ F ranz s h ame beca me a household word expres His R eturn to Paris . 63

sive of wonderful m a stery of the pianoforte . Numerous a re the an ecdotes that used to be told

t hen respecting the young virtuoso . It is s aid

t a n n n a s oir e a h t bei g o ce i vited to é , he rrived ,

a a a a a a but very l te , so th t cert in pi nist mong ’ the comp a ny h ad been requested to t ake Lisz t s pl a ce at the piano but the perform ance of the musician proved so d ull a nd unattra ctive th at it

’ left the audien ce quite in different . Fran z being

a o a t a then c lled up n to sit the pi no , quite

ch armed and delighted those present . And yet

n a a a he o ly pl yed by he rt , where s the other pian ist ha d don e so fro m the notes "

a a m L and The se son being over , Ad iszt his

n a an d a son retired i to priv te life , rem ined in l Londo n until the ear y p art of the yea r 1825 . This period of rest Fran z devoted to le arn in n g E glish , without , however , neglecting his

musical studies . a a s a But his future c reer , lso his projected ” a a a oper , Don S ncho , necessit ted his return to L a . a a a n d P ris R ther reluct ntly , Ad m iszt conse te ,

a L n . an a to le ve o don As for Fr z , the l tter city had not left a favora ble impression 0 11 his youth

an d i t w a s n a a ful mind , with i tense ple sure th t he a ga“in beheld his gay and beloved Pa ris As soon a s a as a w as to Don S ncho w re dy, it submitted 64 F ranz Liszt.

’ Pa er s d ju gment , who deemed it good enough to ’ authorize its performance . At l a st Franz s dear es t wis h w a s about to be re alized ; but it w as still necessa ry to obta in the decision of the directors o f the Aca démie Royale de Musique " YVith what joy did not Franz receive the intima tion th at his composition w a s accepted " This news w a s to him s w eeter than all his former suc

cesses . The operetta w a s to be brought out in n October following . In the meantime Fra z re sumed his concerts in the s alons of the French

a a at u . ristocr cy , who were delighted his ret rn

the n 1825 a an his In spri g of , ccomp ied by a t f ther, he under ook his projected tour in the

a h w as a an French provinces ; fter w ich , it rr ged

a a a t a th t they should p y second visi to Engl nd .

u n a a z a D ri g his provinci l trip , Fr n pl yed suc

ces s ivel a y in Borde ux, Toulouse , Montpellier ,

m L a a nd t of Ni es , yons , M rseilles , o her towns

importance . D uring his second j ourney to Eng land he visited not only London but also the p rovinces . The follow ing h andbills may serve as an his ’ torical meme nto of Franz s second visit to this

country . When re ading the programme of his n t in n second co cer the English provi ces , it is rather surprising to ﬁ nd a g rand o verture for

6 6 F ranz Lis z t.

a a a in n a — Mr T B ll d My ki d de rie O . BROADHUR S .

’

n n an . O Rou d Yes , tis the I di Drum MISS SYM NDS ,

d s . R OY LANOE a n OO . Bi ho . MESSRS , BENNETT , ISHERW D ( p )

Grand Co ncerto ( A mi nor) with orchestral A ccompa ni

n H ummel on me ts , composed by , will be performed ’ Erard s a n a n a n New P te t Gr d Pi oforte , by M A S T E R L I S Z T

P A R T S E O O N D .

T K n 9 a . a MAS ER BAN S ( o ly ye rs old , Pupil of Messrs W rd and Andrews) will h a ve the ho nor of m aki ng his First Appe a ra nce before the M a nchester u a nd a on O a P blic , le d the VI LIN , the f vorite “ ” V TO LoD Os A O ERTURE ,

Composed by Kreutz er . - n n a . Song The Spri g with smili g f ce ME . ISHER hi ld WOOD . ( S e )

u n . O and D et Whe thy bosom MISS SYM NDS MR .

ra ha . BROADHURST . ( B m )

A N E X T E M P O R E F A N T A S I A on the Gra nd Pi anoforte by

M A S T E R L I S Z T , Who will respectfully request a writte n THEME from any

perso n present . — m a . n co ir . n O So g A p Violi Oblig to , MR CUDM RE ,

lielmo . Mi ss SYMONDS . ( Gug ) “ ” — a a n n n JO . ME . O Scotch B ll d Joh A derso , my BR AD

HURST . E l P o i S econd Tour in ng ish r v nces . 6 7

— n ndunck . ME S R . Glee My heer Va S s BENNETT . ROY

and OO . B is ho . LANCE , ISHERW D ( p )

LEADER MR . CUDMORE .

ME . . PRINCIPAL SECOND VIOLIN A WVAR D .

at a n a n . MR . R . ANDREWS will preside the Gr d Pi oforte

The ORCHESTRA will be completed on the followi ng grand

a 12 n 4 n 6 a 2 ﬂ 2 Sc le Violi s , Te ors , B sses , utes , Oboes ,

2 a n 4 n 2 2 a n 3 Cl rio ets , Hor s , Trumpets , b ssoo s , Trom

A nd a f n a nd . a an a bo es , drums to ford every possible dv t ge

c a nd n n the a con to the Voi es I strume ts , Orchestr will be so stru cted th a t they will be s atisfa ctorily hea rd in every p a rt of the House .

TICKETS ma v be ha d at all the Music Shops a nd Princip a l

Inns .

a n a t f c MR . ELAND will tte d the Box O ﬁ e on Mo nday and

a n n a nd on a da Tuesd y precedi g the Co cert , Thursd y , the y

’ a n 1 1 2 O a da of perform ce , from to clock e ch y

’ O n a t and n The Doors to be pe ed six o clock , the Co cert to commence a t seve n precisely .

. PIT 3 s . OX 5 s . U OX 4 s L Y 2s . B ES , PPER B ES , ; , ; GA LER ,

The SEC OND CONCERT will ta ke pla ce on MONDAY

the 20th i nst .

The p articul ars of this second concert will

a a m d . perh ps , lso be dee e interesting The fol lo w ing is a reproduction of the announcement bill 68 F ra nz Lisz t.

SECOND GRAND C ONCERT . A THE TRE ROYAL , MANCHESTER .

n a n 20 18 25 . Mo d y , Ju e ,

A D U NEW GRAN OVERT RE , Composed by the celebra ted S M A T E R L I S Z T , Will be performed ( for the ﬁrst time in public) by the F U LL ORCHESTRA , K M A S T E R B A N S ,

n n n a . a and ( O ly i e ye rs old) , Pupil of Messrs W rd n A drews , Ha vi ng received the most de cided marks of Approbation a t n on a n n a l the First Co cert Thursd y eve i g l st , wil ha ve the honor of O N V O L E A D I N G T H E I L I N , the fa vorite

V TO Rossini . O ERTURE TANCREDI , Composed by

a a n MR . BROADHUR ST will ( by p rticul r desire) si g ” n n n JO Joh A derso , my , n a d severa l of his most popula r B alla ds .

AIR an a a n H erz , with Gr d V ri tio s by , will be performed on the Gra nd Pi a noforte by MAS TER LISZT Who will likewise perform an

X T O E EMP RE FANTASIA ,

And u Tw o w itten Themes an respectf lly request r , from y

n o n a of the Audie ce , which he will pl y

his Va ri atio ns . S econd Tour in E nglish Provinces . 69

a n n a an Glee H rk , the Curfew , solem sou d , ccomp ied

H R AB I . 0 11 the Ha rp by MR . J . O N

a n n F reis chutz The dmired Hu ti g , Chorus from Der ,

c a a n n with Or hestr l Accomp ime ts .

T Ries A GRAND " UINTE TE , composed by ,

I a nd R . Will be performed by MASTER L SZT , MESS S

O . S uD LOw O a nd . CUDM RE , E , SUDL W HILL

PRINCIPAL PERF ORMERS MASTER LISZT (o nly twelve yea rs of age) allowed to be the greatest Pi anoforte Player of the

prese nt day .

’ MISS S Y MONDS ( from the Nobility s Concert) .

T N K n n n a u il o MAS E A S ly y ld) p p f M s . R B ( o i e e rs o \ essr n n Ward a d A drews .

T . M R . B R O A D H U R S

MEssRs . OY T IsHERWOOD . R LANCE , BENNE T , AND

LEADER MR . CUDMORE .

. R . PRINCIPAL SECOND VIOLIN MR . A WA D

at an a n . MR . R . ANDREWS will preside the Gr d Pi oforte

The Orchestra WIll be n umerous a nd complete .

and a ma ha d . at Tickets pl ces y be of MR ELAND , the

Oﬂi ce on a a a nd n a n n Box , S turd y Mo d y ext , from eleve till ’ n a t two O clock e a ch day . The doors to be ope ed Six ’ and an n at o clock , the perform ce to comme ce precisely n Seve .

5 s . U 4 s . 3 s . a 25 . Boxes , ; pper Boxes , ; Pit , ; G llery ,

n a n n n a t " Bills , co t i i g the words , will be give the doors of the theatre o n the evening of the performa nce . 7 0 F ranz Lis z t.

Having fulﬁlled his e ngagement in Man

t anz and a Lon ches er , Fr his f ther returned to

a a a . don , where they m de but short st y They,

a u a the however, rem ined long eno gh to en ble young musician again to pl ay at private concerts and to obtain a n e ngagement for a concert which

w a s n at La a and give Drury ne The tre , which his

Maj esty King George IV . honored with his

presence . This new concert w as an unrivalled success ; his Majesty w a s so ple a sed at the per formance th at he himself joi ned in the g eneral

a a and a L t a ppl use , g ve young isz the most m rked proof of favor and appreciation for his t alent by orderi ng the repetition of one of the youthf ul ’ virtuoso s pieces .

u n L n a z w as D ring his seco d visit to o don , Fr n deeply impressed by a choir of seven or eight

an a t h w as thous d children , whic he present with ’ in n his father Sa i t Paul s cathedral . This w a s

a new S an d an quite ight to him , unlike ything

had on he ever seen the Continent . Indeed ,

a and d a H ydn Men elssohn , the immort l composers ” he r a n n t a d of . a u a n d of C e tio St P l , Berlioz m a a hi self , the f mous represent tive of French art on hearing those choirs were struck with am a ze

and a s r ment deeply moved , they themselves e

l ate . The singing Of those thous ands Of voices His F ou R eaches r teen th F ear . 7 1

aff n L and him quite ected you g iszt , left , for sev

a a a w a and a v . er l d ys fter rd , serious medit ti e

a z had a a Fr n just re ched his fourteenth ye r , an age at which the physical and mental devel Opment of most boys takes pl a ce and self-con

s ciousness n a s O becomes strong , produci g ften

a a s . a had bruptness reserve His m nner, indeed , Of l ate undergone a s tri k mg altera tion ; he had

a n . at lost his usu l cheerful ess All “once , he could not bea r to hear himself called Le peti t ” L z w as a a - is t ; he nxious to p ss for full grown , n n a d felt himself to be so . He also beg a to gre w tired of appearing in public and giving n f n . O co certs His experience the world , you g

w a s had a a au a though he , lre dy t ght him th t

a s a a n him as all society , selﬁsh rule , p tro ized , v u n a a n irt osi , not i deed bec use of his t le t, but because of the ple asure it a fforded them . From ’ th at period dates the awakening of Fran z s relig ious feelings in all their pristine intensity . He now went to church with scrupulous a ssi duit w as n an n a and y . There in his mi d i n te mysterious connection between the church and his a n a beloved bse t mother, whom he nxiously ye arned to see a gain .

a L a Of and As for Ad m iszt , the ch nge life cli mate had seriously told on his health : it had 72 F ranz Lisz t. brought on a physical and mental indisposition ' which ren dered keen insight difﬁ cult a nd im p aired his judgment . He w a s now hypochon driac and in - and la , his ﬁts of ill humor me ncholy he would displ ay undue severity in his watching ’ a z a over Fr n s beh viour, the symptoms Of whose m aturity he unjustly a scribed to some reprehen ’ sible cause . E ventually the father s malady a nd ff grew worse , , though from widely di erent

a of a and of his s on a c uses , the minds Ad m gr d ually disagreed .

74 F ranz Lisz t.

Lepeltier The orchestra w as under the

a a le dership of the celebr ted Rudolph Kreutzer, then director Of the Royal Opera . Adolphe Nour

and u a rit , the delightful nsurp ssed tenor, well supported by eminent singers , undertook the i h n a a . to pr ncip l p rt Everyt i g, indeed , concurred

n a t secure success . From the begin ing the brilli n public listened breathless an d with intense ih terest to this ﬁrst production of the boy com

a t a a a . poser . Every c secured r pturous ppl use

the an w as a When perform ce over, the public c lled both the a uthor and his talented interpreter be

a and the t a a a fore the st ge , en husi sm re ched climax whe n the tall and stately Nourrit brought in his arms the yet slim and sm all ﬁgure of

an L his e e a s Fr z iszt, who , despite b ing fourt en ye r f d O a e w as a . g , h rdly eveloped in proportion a n a bo Kreutzer h vi g embr ced the y , the compli ment w as a ck nowledged by tremendous a pplause all L a of . a from p rts the house Ad m iszt , over ﬁlled and not with emotion delight , could control f f and a o o . or his feelings , freely shed te rs j y As a w a s a an w as Fr nz , he r di t , though his delight n ot a n to a t ltogether unmixed , owi g his tr nsien disa greements with his fa ther .

9“ The Pa ris Opera House stood formerly in the R ue e lti L pe er . “ P o uction o Don S ancho in P r d f aris . 7 5

Tw o more equ ally successful perform ances “ ” of a a Don S ncho followed , fter which the

a w as a n the a a nd operett withdr w ; from bo rds , the score delivered over to the Académie Royale

a a n . Al de Musique , never g i to see the light

a i as as though the gener l publ c , well the press , ’ were una nimous in their praise Of the boy s pro

of a z no n t duction, the enemies Fr n lost opportu i y of u a a and u nf vor bly unj stly criticising his work , doing all in their power to injure his rising rep u tation as a a s had composer, they formerly tried

a as a . to underr te his merits virtuoso Those ,

s aw a all however , who the oper performed were of a w as opinion th t the score skilfully written , ’ and a t M a : m f er oz rt s style It is , therefore , uch to be deplored that this ﬁrst production Of the youthful m a ster should h ave been destroyed

a a o a in the ﬁre by which , some ye rs g , the P ris Opera House in the Rue Lep eltier w as burned 28 down (October , The youthful compositions of Liszt were nu merous : the T antum ergo Of Vienna ; the

G a a u in r nde Ouverture for orchestr , exec ted

an and b a M chester , which “is elieved to h ve been no other but that of Don San cho v arious ” sm all son ata s ; the operetta Of Don Sancho all w are n a a n of hich o ly preserved in n me , h vi g 6 7 F ranz Lisz t.

’ been either lost or destroyed d uring Lis zt s

a . no w tr vels It is , therefore , impossible to a ppreciate their worth ; but the fa ct of their h aving s a tisﬁed the most competent and fas tidious judges in Pa ris and in L ondon is a sufﬁ cie nt gua rantee th at they bore no small evi n de ce of talent .

ma a un It is worthy of re rk th t , like most com ’ L n are 2— 4 posers, iszt s productio s written in

a time . The same rem ark holds good a s reg rds

. an L and an a re the key Fr z iszt Fr z Schubert ,

it is believed , the only composers who wrote - their vari ations in G ﬂ at . ’ There is a certa in interest in comp ari ng Liszt s ’ youthful compositions with Beethoven s . The ” “ va ri ation a nd the impromptu of the former

ma a e tw o n y be pl ced b side little so gs which ,

a a when boy thirteen or fourteen ye rs old , the ’ “ l a tter composed in 17 83 and“1784 ( Schilde rung eines Madchens an d An einen Sang The most importan t production o f ’ L z d is t s youth is , however , his collection of stu ies (Opus Etudes pour le Piano en douze Exer ”

. It w a s in 1826 cises ﬁrst published , by the

. a and w as ﬁrm of Messrs Boisselet , of M rseilles ,

a a L a Ga a a dedic ted to M demoiselle ydi rell , young lady with whom he frequently played at Lisz t and B eethoven . 77

ua tre ma i ns n a in a and g , duri g his st y M rseilles , who had w on his a ffection through her gen tle n at tentions . The o ly youthful work of Beetho v“en which can be a r comp a rison with those Et udes is two Preludes in all the Twelve ” “ ' Keys ( Praludien in allen zw Olf Dur-Tonar 1 8 9 and 7 1803 . ten composed in , published in But then those works are entirely limited to

n an d a cou terpoint school exercises , displ y little or no invention ; besides which Beethoven w as

n a Old h a ni eteen ye rs when he wrote them , w ere s Liszt w as four or ﬁve yea rs youn ger when he “ ” wrote his Etudes for the Pi an oforte . Like ’ n all an L the youthful compositio s of musici s, iszt s ’ and Beethove n s were but the reproduction of the prevalent musical ide a s of the times they

a a of lived in , lthough the e rlier works the former displ ay sometimes far more originality th an the similar productions of the immortal

a a w as Beethoven . The l tter, when boy , neither

a s a w as so rich in inventiveness his emul tor , nor

his spirit so ripe as th at of Liszt . The Allegro ” a a a a di Br vur , for inst nce , composed by the l tter

a an when boy, is full of m ly spiritedness not ’ displ ayed in any of Beethoven s e arlier works .

a far a a n Individu l feeling , too , is more pp re t in

’ Liszt s boyish productions than in those of ’ Beethoven s youth . 7 8 F ranz Lisz t.

Those a mong the earlier works of Lisz t which are k nown to h ave been composed by him

a are a when boy the following, in chronologic l order

18 2 n n n a f a n 3 ( whe o ly eleve ye rs o a ge ) . A T tum ergo

nna n for the Vie choir ( m a uscript lost) .

n A n a n 18 24 ( whe o nly twelve) . Impromptu for the Pi o ” n in 18 24 . forte , pri ted “ ” 24 man 18 . O a Don an ( ditto) The perett of S cho , which

cri w us pt a s burned . “ 8 2 n n A a n 1 5 ( whe n o ly thirtee ) . Gr de Ouverture

le a n an ha s n . pour Pi oforte , which m uscript bee lost “ ” 8 2 a a an 1 5 (ditto) . The Allegro di Br vur for the pi o

n in 18 25 . forte , pri ted “ 18 25 . na a an ( ditto) A So t for the Pi oforte , which m a nus cript ha s been lost

2 e n 18 6 ( w hen o nly fourteen) . The Etudes Douze Ex ”

er cis es le a n n in 18 26 . pour Pi o , pri ted “ 8 2 n n nc an 1 7 ( whe n o ly sixtee ) . A Co erto for the Pi o

t an has n . for e , which m uscript bee lost n n n n Seco d jour ey through the F re ch provi ces . Ma demo i

a a . nc m i selle Lydia G rell O e ore n Pa ris . Cou nter — n n B a . o n n poi t lesso s with eich Third j ur ey to E gl and . — n a . Religious feeli gs . Wishes to become priest Idea l ’ a nd ca a c n on a n ann a nd o f ethi l re tio Fr z s m er view life . - - - n S ea b a thing a t Boulogne sur Mer . Ill ess a nd dea th

of Ada m Liszt .

AD AM LISZT a nd his son prolonged their s tay in

a n l nn n of a 1826 P ris u ti the begi i g the ye r , when they started on a second tour through the n n a ll n Southern French provi ces , visiti g the tow s of an on w a a import ce their y to M rseilles, their ultimate destination . Everywhere they were

m a t he received with the ost cordi l welcome , won derful playing of the young virtuoso p rovok ing unhe ard-o f enthusia sm on the pa rt of the

- w a rm and music loving Southerners . In Mar

a and his a a a seilles , where Fr nz f ther m de pro

a u of L w as longed st y , the tri mph young iszt

an d a almost unprecedented , , if possible , gre ter

a s n n th an even in Paris . It w duri g his reside ce in the great French seaport that Fran z wrote ( 79 ) 8 0 F ranz Lisz t.

a s his Etudes en douze Exercises , which , pre viousl a hear a a a y s id , his ﬁrst dedic tion to l dy ,

Mademoiselle Lydia Ga rell a .

n a n a The co cert se son bei g now over, f ther a nd a n son returned to P ris, there no lo ger to

n a a z give co certs , but in order th t Fr n might de vote a ll his time an d en ergy to the study of

n n B a . counterpoi t , under the tuition of A ton eich Tha t celebra ted m a ster t aught his pupil all the difﬁculties of his art with the greatest devotion .

a a so z a and As for Fr nz, he displ yed much e l intelligen ce in his a rduous study that he soon ma all stered the forms of polyphony, composi

n a and tio s for sever l voices, the glee form the

as as . fugue, single well double Even the

n n of a as cou terpoi t mysteries the old m sters , well a s the problematical can on s and canon ca n

criz ans . a , were not unknown to him To pr ctice counterpoint to perfection seemed to him as n ecess ary for a composer a s ﬁnger-drilling for a

v . a irtuoso He , indeed , displ yed so much perse

n a a n a B a verance a d e gerness in le r ing th t eich , usually of a retired an d undemonstrative dispo s ition l n ot a a s , cou d sufficiently pr ise the e e with which his gifted pupil both understood the rules ’ n had and worked upon them . Six mo ths study sufficed Fra n z to thoroughly master the difficul ties of counterpoint .

82 F r anz Lisz t.

a a a and or c use , he would be now r di nt with joy now overwhelmed with grief ; an indeﬁnable

n a a somethi g , secret ye rning , seemed to ﬁll his soul an d to exercise a disturbing inﬂuence on

a t . his r istic pursuits Music , which he formerly

a n loved with p ssion , seemed no lo ger to possess

a a any cha rmfor him . He seemed bsorbed by ’ ﬁxed ide a ; a lthough his mother s e arly tea ch i ngs had impl a nted in his soul deep religious

n h ad the feeli gs , he never before submitted to ri tes of the Church so scrupulously as n ow . He s eemed quite spellbound by the poetical mysti i c s m of C atholicism .

a v n w a At l st , gi i g y to his religious impulse , Franz one day expla ined to his fa ther the re al

a and a st te of his soul , begged to be llowed to L h n n . a ad e ter i to holy orders Ad m iszt, who sa criﬁced everything in order th at Fran z might ’ a n a t a n d a become r ist, pl i ly perceive th t his son s request w as the mere outcome of his excited

n a a and his me t l st te , quietly refused consent to

n n a a y ch ange of vocatio n . Because o e loves ” “ n a a m a a t w ar thi g , s id Ad to Fr nz , th is no r an t th at one is called to it . You belong to L n ot . God and music , to religion ove , b e good

h n and a o est, you will re ch the highest summits

art a a the a a in , voc tion for which n tur l gifts li o s R e gi u Asp ira tions . 8 3

Providence ha s bestowed upon you have des ” tined you . ’ O a In dutiful bedience to his f ther s wishes , Franz re nounced his proj ect of becoming a

n m and all priest, we t but seldo to church , did in

a a n his power to void rousi g the p aternal a nger .

He could not , however, entirely suppress his

a a n a a religious spir tio s , but c refully conce led ’ their m anifestation from his fa ther s watchful

eye . The constant exertion of tra velling and

a s a a n concert giving , lso the ment l exciteme t brought about by his religious a wa kening at a time when his ge neral health w as being

a o tried by his physic l devel pment, were not without bad results for his nervous system ; an

a a nd a a a irrit bility of temper gh stly p leness ,

n a a a e a most u usu l in boy of his g , could not f il

a a a L a in to l rm Ad m iszt , who , being lso declin

in a . a r g he lth , consulted the doctors The l tte recomme nded sea-b athing at Boulogne-sur-Mer t and complete rest for bo h father and son . This

w as n 182 and L in the spri g of 7, , the ondon

a a n a m and music l se son bei g now over , Ad Fra nz sta rted without del ay for the French

- w a tering pla ce . L sea- a a ife in Boulogne , the b ths , the bsolute

now anz rest they were enjoying , beneﬁted Fr 84 F ranz Lisz t.

a a a and a consider bly, both from physic l from mora l point of view . With he alth and strength

and a n and his bright geni l cheerful ess returned , m n he o nce more recovered his e tal equilibrium .

a a all a As for Ad m , now free for time from c re and a t and nxie y , comforted by the return of his

a t at d u son to he l h , he , ﬁrst , seeme to conq er his

a and a n dise se , once more to reg in the stre gth an d good humo r of bygone days . Unfortu n atel w a s a a a y , he tt cked by g stric fever ; his alre a dy broken-do w n constitution could not a an d da of resist the dise se , , on the third y

n a L a w as his ill ess, Ad m iszt felt th t he doomed .

w a s a and He , however, conscious to the l st,

a a a to though not fr id to die , he g ve free vent

at a the regret he felt le ving behind him , with out either friend or protector to guide and a and dvise him , his young inexperienced beloved

had son , whose genius been through life his ’ ’ father s hope and conviction . Ad am s la st a z and words to Fr n were words of love , comfort, ’

a n . a few a f his w rni g After but d ys suf erings , 28th eyes closed for ever, on the of August, 182 at - 7 a a e . , the rel tively young g of forty seven w as at - - He buried Boulogne sur Mer . ’ a n a a Result of Ada m Liszt s de th . Retur of M d me Liszt

n . . not a o to Pa ris . Music Lesso s First Love Is

e ted u n . c p . Fresh outb rst of religious feeli g Serious n ill ess . Recovery .

FRANZ LISZT experienced the ﬁrst poign ant and ’ re al grief of his life at his fa ther s de ath h in bed . Never before ad he looked the sternly

n a a a . a a i exor ble f ce of De th Fr ntic with desp ir, he stood at the bedside where lay the mortal remain s of his dep arted father . Franz had always through life felt the deepest respect and

e a r a reverenc for the utho of his being , lthough his feelings toward his father had none of the tender a ffection and conﬁdent laiss er-a ller

o he felt for his mother . But n w the sight of de ath seemed to work a sudde n ch ange in ’ a n now n Fran z s he art . Me suri g the full exte t

had n of the loss he just i curred , he threw him ’ n and n a a self, sobbi g disco sol te on his f ther s

o and an c rpse , in his guish , felt , for the ﬁrst time a aff n incons s t mt in life , th t tender ectio is not i t with the respect due to a father . A storm of ( 8 5 ) 8 6 F ranz Lis z t. feeling w a s bre aking in his mind which ren dered him mentally unconscious . Physic al tor w and por follo ed the ﬁrst outburst of grief, ,

a - n had a a quite he rt broke , he to le ve to str ngers ’ the a rrangeme nt of his fa ther s funeral .

a a a n a a a Th t st te of prostr tio l sted sever l d ys , an d cea sed only to m ake room for a feeling of un spe a k able loneliness and desol ation . In the

t n a a a z mos i signiﬁc nt det ils of life , Fr n now

missed the helpi ng h and of his father . Havi ng ’ a ll a a a and his life sh red his f ther s room , pl yed

n a a studied u der his eyes , t ken his recre tions by

a him n at a and his side , been ne r eve priv te

n had a a public co certs , he sc rcely ever spent

a a a a and single hour w y from p rent l sight now ,

a ll a n a of sudden, he fou d himself for ever lone , and deprived of the p a rental protect ion and a dvice which he ha d quite grown accustomed to look to "

a a His youth , however, eventu lly overc me his

and a nd grief despondency, brought him sober

. a a m judgment He g in re embered his mother , whose departure for Austria had formerly so

grieved his sensitive a nd affectiona te he art . Though he had to deplore the loss of one

a n a God a a p re t , he th nked for h ving sp red his and W m tender blessed mother, ho he now Plans for the F uture. 8 7

a a a . ye rned to see g in With deep emotion , yet

W t man n t m i h ly e ergy , he wro e to his other a a s ad and cqu inting her with the event , inform ing her of his pl an s for the future His inten

o w a s n ow ti n , he wrote , to give up his concert

a s . at tours , so to live with her She must come

n a a once , for he is goi g b ck to P ris , there to e arn a living for both by giving lessons on the

pianoforte .

u n a a Before , however, ret r ing to P ris , Fr nz w a s n d nu co fronte by some , to him hitherto

w n of a a . kno , responsibilities pr ctic l life His ’ father s illness an d subsequent death had en tailed upon him expenses which not only ex h ansted wh at little mo ney h ad been s aved by

a L the economy of Ad m iszt , but even left

a s Fra nz in debt . Though he w at ﬁrst rather

a t a a n loss to see how to meet his oblig tio s , he ﬁnally m ade up his min d to sell his grand pi ano forte ; an d a lthough his creditors offered to grant him any time he might require for p ay

n a w a s n an d me t , so gre t his se se of honor duty , th at he would not alter his decision to pa rt with his dea r in strument in order to meet the liabili ’ ties incurred through his father s unexpected

and untimely de ath .

a a and a H ving sold his pi no p id everybody, he 8 8 F ranz Lisz t.

a a w as a st rted for P ris , where he w rmly wel ’ a old and n comed by his f ther s devoted frie d , ’ a and a a Er rd , by the l tter s f mily , with whom he ’ s tayed u ntil his mother s arrival . Mad ame Liszt w as living in Vienna with her ’ rela tions when she received her son s letter in ’ forming her of Ad a m Liszt s de ath . Although overcome with grief a t the news of her hus ’ a not an a b nd s demise , she could resist inw rd ou tburst of joy and relief at the prospect of soon a gain being in the company of her beloved

ffa a . a n a Fr nz H vi g settled her little irs , she hurried to Pa ris . In spite of the grief mother and son could

e a t a not h lp feeling their recent bere vement , ’ their meeti ng after three ye ars separation w as a sweet and h appy moment for both . H aving spent a few d ays longer at the house of the hos

itable an d n a a a a p frie dly Er rd f mily , M d me Liszt and her son Franz removed to a modest ap a rtment in the Rue Montholon . Fran z now took upon his youthful shoulders the ca re of supplying the wants of their da ily existe nce . ’ The news of Ad am Lis zt s death ha d been received with sympathetic regret in Parisian socie ty ; the difﬁculties tha t death w as likely to

9 0 F ranz Lisz t.

a at dent l , depending solely upon his humor the

da a n time . One y he would pr ctise o the piano ; the n ext day he would neglect to do so ; some in at times he would study the morning , other

n a s times he would do so in the eveni g , just he

a felt inclined . His time w s not better divided h for his lessons, which would often be s ort

-da and to- to y long morrow , just to suit his con

a n v enience or whim . He w as lso most u punc

a a a a nd tu l , rriving sometimes too e rly other

a a n ot times too l te ; sometimes , lso , he would eve n put in an appea ra nce . His want of method and order w a s also notice able in the w ay he u took his me als . He wo ld often come home l ate at n ight without h aving ta sted any solid

all da and a food y , , whilst w iting for his food to a a a a of or a be re dy, he would t ke gl ss spirits

a w me w a of a a gl ss of , by y st ying the f intness arising from his long a nd voluntary fast . All these irregul arities proceeded at ﬁrst from

a a a a a circumst nces , but could not h ve f vor ble inﬂ uence upon either his bodily health or his

a . h bits Indeed , he himself often deplored in after life the fact of his h aving been left so e arly in life sole m aster of arranging his time a s and of a he thought ﬁt , sole judge wh t course he w as to follow . A ris tocra tic Pup ils . 91

First a mong the l adies of the French aris toc racy who entrusted the musical education of their children to th e youth ful m a ster w a s the

n a - n a Cou tess de S int Cricq , wife of Cou t de S int

and a man Cricq , then Minister of the Interior,

of and a a a the world thorough ristocr t , imbued with all the traditions and prejudices of the old L . w as nobility Devoted to the egitimists , he one a a of the most rdent , though not blest, sup p orters of Charles X . The duties of his depart

n - a me t so fully pre occupied him , th t he never interfered in his fa mily and household affa irs whose direction he left undisputed to the Count ess , his wife . As soon a s Liszt m ade known his intention of

a on a Ma giving priv te lessons the pi noforte ,

a a - had ar d me de S int Cricq , who often he d the

and a a young virtuoso , fully ppreci ted his won derful a a t lent , decided to eng ge him to give lessons to the youngest of her children her

au a a n a d ghter C roline , then sc rcely seventee ye rs

old .

an d a a s an Slender in form , pure be utiful a a n w a s at a a ngel , C roli e , the s me time , t lented , and a d reli ions a lthough eeply g , of lively dispo sition her w a s a and w as ; mind esthetic , she

especially fond of music . 92 F ranz Lis z t.

n U der the eyes of the Countess , the lessons

da a da and a . were given y fter y, week fter week Gradu ally the noble m anner of the youth won

i a a a - w ho the good w ll of M d me de S int Cricq ,

a a eventu lly grew quite fond of his convers tion , and would follow with visible interest his re

ma an d and rks , the expression of his sentiments

ide a s . S he also wa tched with m aternal pride the rem arkable progress of her daughter u nder the intelligent and symp athetic guid ance of her

a h . a youthful te c er Indeed , C roline seemed to

a t n a ccept with joy the sugges io s of the l tter , to

w a a follo the ﬂight of his f ncy , t ke unfeigned

a in n a n and a a ple sure his co vers tio , re d his rtistic

and a u as conceptions ll sions, it were, in his very

eyes .

a a a - M d me de S int Cricq could not, with her and a a intelligent quick wom nly perception , f il to notice the growing affection which w as begin ning to spring between her daughter and young

L b ut a and iszt, , feeling ssured of the nobleness i a purity of their feel ngs , she refr ined from dis turbin and a g them , tenderly w tched the ﬁrst emotions of those two youthful hearts . But the protection which th at noble l a dy a ccorded to the timid m anifestation s of the pla tonic love the two y oung people felt for one - Dea th of Madame de S aint Grieg. 93

i another w as not to be of long durat on . Ma

a de a - had all d me S int Cricq , who her life been

a a l an d in delic te he lth , fel suddenly seriously ill , an d despite the best medical advice that could be had and n a , the tenderest nursi g from her de rly

a a a a . beloved d ughter , she gr du lly s nk Before d n a of a yi g , she informed her husb nd the mutu l affection which she ha d a scertained to be growing between her daughter C aroline and

a L and n young Fr nz iszt , concluded by expressi g the wish th at if the young l ady re ally loved

a n - a her tutor , Count de S i t Cricq should llow the

a a a a m tch to t ke pl ce , in order to secure C ro ’ line s h appi ness . The Count listened in silence ’ a a to his wife s l st recommend tion , though he did not atta ch much importance to it . From the beginning of M ad a me de Saint ’ Cricq s illness until a few weeks after the ’ n a a fu er l , C roline s lessons were interrupted ; in the me antime Liszt called at Count de S aint ’ ’ Cric s n a a a q o ly to inquire fter the p tient s he lth , and a a w as a when the f t l issue m de known , he called upon the Count in order to te nder him his respectful and sincere expressions of condolence . ’ C aroline s father received the young a rtist with

n n and n ki d ess , i formed him of his desire to see his d aughter resume her lesson s . 4 9 F ranz Lis z t.

The sudden death of the l ady he had learned to love and revere a s a ben efactress m ade a profound impression on the sensitive and feeling mi nd of Liszt . The loss of his father ha d t aught him the dre a dful me aning of th at word death a word which previously had for him - but a v ague and ill deﬁned signiﬁcance . He could sympathize with C a roline in her bereave

a n a ment, h vi g himself witnessed the gony of

a and a n an d his surest, ne rest , de rest frie d pro tector but a few months before When he foun d himself in the presence of his unfortun ate

a and pupil , cl d in deep mourning , whose red eyes and p ale and sorrowful counten ance bore

n a a an z w a s wit ess to her poign nt desp ir, Fr

a nd a seized with inexpressible grief , , un ble to

n a . co trol his feelings , burst out in te rs ’ The simil a rity of his pupil s position with his ow n n a l n i cre sed , if possible , the fee ing s of te der affection she had awakened in his soul . When

~ n h a studyi g together, the memory of t eir de r

a w as and de d ever present to their minds , formed the chief topic of their conversations .

n the w a s a n w Whe lesson over, C roli e , hose

a w a s a a a n educ tion ccomplished , would cqu i t her young friend and m aster with the gems of lit e ra tu re and a , disclose to his , in th t respect, His Dis miss a l as Tutor . 9 5

un un n . cultured mind , known horizo s Thus , da da a at w a s but a y by y , wh t ﬁrst mere cci

a a n d u dent l symp thy ripe ed into eep , tho gh ’ m a inn oce nt love . E a ch ti e Fr nz s visits were prol onged far beyon d the time of an ordinary

n n one da a n and lesso , u til y C roli e himself were so absorbed in their con versa tion th a t midn ight struck while they were still talki ng . Franz

a n n l a - h vi g eg ected to tip the h ll porter, whose sleep he h a d to disturb in order to re a ch the

an the ma street, the gry Cerberus reported tter

n a n - an d a a to Cou t de S i t Cricq , even ex gger ted ’ the l aten ess of the hour of Franz s depa rture . The next time the l atter came to give his

n a concier e a lesso , the ir scible g informed him th t the Count wished to spea k to him . " uite un ’ n L a on his a suspecti g, iszt c lled pupil s f ther ,

a a him n n who , fter repro ching with the i discretio he had been guilty of, courteously informed ’ a n a a n him th t , for the you g l dy s s ke , the lesso s

n n . must now cea se . Fra z w a s thu derstruck He now fully re alized th e gross bre ach of soci al

i t ha d and n propr e y he committed , u derstood how hopeless it wo uld be for him to try to ’ h n . o reverse the Cou t s decision He , however, tained permission to call once more on the

n n in ff r a you g Cou tess , order to o e person l a pology a nd take le ave of her . 96 F ranz Lis z t.

’ a Thus vanished Fra nz s ﬁrst dre m of lovec ’ a - n n a -Cric s He rt broke , he left Cou t de S int q

an d a on w a a t h hotel , c lled his y home the churc of S ai nt Vin cen t de Paul . Never before had he experien ced such h arrowi ng anguish : he felt ann ihilated .

a a G a Ten ye rs l ter, in his es mmelte Schriften , he rel ated this memora ble incident and his s ub sequent visit to the church “ ” a a and A fem le form , he wrote , ch ste pure as a a a w a s a the l b ster of holy vessels , the s criﬁce my despondent soul offered to the G od of the

a l Christia ns . Renunci tion of a l things e arthly w a s the m a a indeed otto of th t , to me , dre dful ” da . In and as a y spite of himself , ye rs rolled

L a - by , iszt never could forget the sweet l dy love of his youth he always carried her in his heart like the h allowed image of a Ma do nn a . This w a s also a cruel sep a ration for the lofty

and a a minded sensitive C roline , but her risto cratic pride forb ade her to d isplay too openly

n . n and a n her feeli gs In her sile t grief, h vi g

t a mt los the person she loved best fter her o her,

a n a n . she m de up her mi d to enter conve t She ,

had w a however, to give y before the determined

n n and in oppositio of the Cou t , obedience to a a a a his wishes m rried , few months fterw rds ,

9 8 F ra nz Lis z t. forget the ﬁrst d uty of a son : obedience and ’

for a n . a Ma respect his p re t s wishes In desp ir, da me Liszt ha d recourse to a stratagem : she

' ’ laid the whole c a se before Franz s spiritual ad

and a t to us e viser, besought th t worthy pries his ’ a a a n mor l uthority to lter her son s decisio .

a n z t s aw at ec When Fr nex his confessor, th

- cles ia s tic pointed out to the youn g man how

’ ’ wron g it w as for him to a ct a ga inst his mother s

s an d a e h f wishe , entre ted him to devot imsel ’ entirely to his mother s comfort and the pursuit of an a rt for wh ich God s eemed to hav e specia lly m ' gifted him . Unabl e to eet such unanswerable a n t a z a e his and re rgume s , Fr n g v up proj ect , sumed his lessons . About this time Liszt m ad e the a cquaintance — of Christian Urb an an eminent and cultured a e a and e s rtist, whos origin l myst riou being, combining aestheti c t a ste s with religious enthu siasm a a a , exercised powerful ttr ction over — Fr an z and soon became intim ate w ith him .

au w as o at Mont ore a -la-Cha Urh b rn j , ne r Aix l 1 90 a his had the pel e , in 7 ; h ving, in youth , good fortune of attra cting the attention of the

s o . a a of Empre s J sephine , she g ve him the me ns perfecting his musical education in Paris u nder of a a L r a e the tuition Je n Fr ncois esueu , celebr t d F inds a N ew F riend . 9 9

and maitre-de-cha elle a composer p to N poleon . n co a z L At the time of his i ter urse with Fr n iszt , Urhan pl ayed the viola at the Pa ris Opera

an d a at a House , the org n the church of S int

Vincent de Paul . But his instrument of prede lection w a s the viol a an in strument

n fi a d and exceedi gly dif cult of h n ling , which Urb a n w a s the only person in Pa ris competent to play . The complete ha rmony of tastes exist ing between Fran z an d his new a cqu a intance n soon ripened i to friendship . Whenever free , they used to meet and d evote their leisure to

an d a the comp osition rendering of s cred music .

a L ha d a Not th t iszt given up secul r music, for ’ his brea d and his mother s were dependent on

n a neces si it , but the co t ct with the outer world tated by his public performances ha d of l ate a a s d become lo thsome to him , will be ju ged from the following extract from a letter written

‘ by him to a friend m any years later a old a man Poverty, th t medi tor between and and m a evil , tore me from my solitude edit

and a tion , often brought me before public on ’ whom not only my ow n but my mother s exist

. and m ence depended Young , with y mind

a a f u a overstr ined , I p infully suf ered nder cont ct with external things which my voca tion as a 100 F ra nz Lisz t.

a and musici n brought with it , which wounded me all the more intensely tha t my he a rt w as entirely ﬁlled with the mystical feelings of love n a d religion . His youthful frame w as un able to withstand ’ the combi ned emotio ns caused by his father s sudden death and his separation from his dea r ” h Ca roline . The irregula r kind of life e now

" to a u led contributed we ken his constit tion , alre ady sapped by his grief and religious as

a . h a pir tions He fell ill . T ough incre sed in

intensity, the symptoms of this crisis seemed but a relapse of the one he had suffered from in a n his childish ye ars . Moved by se timent of

duty to his mother , he went on with his lessons ,

a a n and n a dr gging himself lo g , ofte bre king down from sheer we a k ness .

n on a t a His strength we t declining , until , l st, he w as quite un able to leave the house . For months he w a s l aid up between life a nd de ath ;

had a so a a indeed , his body w sted r pidly th t the doctors were afraid that consump tion would on — a a a creep dise se which , in his exh usted

a a a n a a . st te of he lth , must h ve e ded f t lly The few friends who visited“him u sed to s ay wi th dismay th at he w as but the gh o st of his ”

. a a a n former self Eventu lly, he bec me of sulle

’ — a a an tala and Period of Convalescence . Ch te ubri d s A ” — - n . n n Re é Religious doubts . Sudde thirst for k owl — . n a and a . a edge Worldly dispositio s . Pl y Oper It l ” ’ “ n a n nd n ia music . M rio Delorme a Rossi i s Wil

a nan n n . helm Tell . Feels repug ce for co cert givi g ’ - ’ Beethoven s co ncerto in E ﬂa t m ajor . Beethoven s mu ’ ’ - an n he sic in Pa ris . Liszt s error . Liszt s f ta si a o t ’ ” Tyrolienne from Auber s opera La F iancee .

DURIN G this period of convalescence and for in a L the ﬁrst time his life , Fr nz iszt experienced a a a and cr ving for gener l knowledge , devoted his forced leisure to reading . Foremost among his favorite books were the works of Chateau a a a f Catholi bri nd , the d untless ch mpion o i m c s against the growing spread of inﬁdelity . “” Rene a a a and ro , th t f nt stic bitterly poetic ma au of Genie du nce , wherein the thor the ” Christianisme expressed in beautifully cle a r l anguage the morbid impressions a nd dreams of

had a a a a his own youth , speci l ttr ction for

a . a a Fr nz The l tter p rt of the work , wherein the author deli ne ates the eventu al conquest of

a p ssion by religion, deeply moved the young ( 102) His Thirs t or Kno le f w dge. 103

Hungarian by recalling to him the love-sorrows h e himself ha d so recently endured . The rea d ’ ing of René a woke in Liszt s mind the ﬁrst religious doubts and worldly feelings he ever ex

erienced . had a a a p Until then , he lw ys ccepted the tenets of the Church with childish simplicity — no shadow of s cepticism had yet disturbed his

. h pristine belief T ose doubts, were , however,

a and of a a only tempor ry , the result he lthy re a ction a ga inst his blind belief ; his he art rema ined pure and unalte red in its religious feelings Now burst within him a sudden and un controll able thirst for knowledge . His mind clamored for learning ; but a s he l acked the

da a a a fun ment l principles of educ tion , h ving previously been left in ignorance of all th at did

a to his a rt -a not rel te , his self cquired knowledge w as not subj ected to regul a r development . In

a a he o one his nxiety to re d , would g from book to another without any pl an or method . Thus the most contradictory works found their w ay ’ ’ L m n i a L n a . a e na s s a a i to his h nds , Volt ire s , m r ’ ’ ’ ’ a a a a an tine s , Mont igne s , Rousse u s , Ch te ubri d s , ’ a -Beuve s a S inte , he ped up pell

on a an a mell his t ble , without y reg rd for the

particular subj ect they treated of . 4 10 F ranz Lis z t.

The various impressions m ade upon his mind

a a and by the v riety of works , secul r religious ,

a nd h a aff serious frivolous, whic he re d, ected

and a a his moods h bits , which then bec me still more ch angeabl e and irregula r . Worldly im pression s now secured easier a ccess to his he a rt .

His religiou s mania seemed indeed to vanish .

n o n He lo ger spent his time in churches, but frequented theatres and pl a ces of amusement with the same passion which he formerly used to displ ay in his visits to pla ces of worship . ’ Victor Hugo s celebrated drama entitled Mar ” w w as r at ion Delorme , hich then pe formed

a a a the Porte S int M rtin The tre , so delighted him th at whenever it w as pl ayed he w as to be seen in the pit of his favorite the atre . ’ n of 1829-30 In the wi ter , Rossini s Wilhelm ” w as for L w ho Tell given the ﬁrst time ; iszt ,

’ w a s at the a present perform nce , could ﬁnd no words wherewith to express his enthusia sm both for the n oble work of the opera and its pl an . From th at time dates the in superable r epug nance Fran z now experienced for pl aying in pub

a na lic , repug nce which often led him to decline

a stan d n a a eng gements , notwith i g the f ct th t his mother a nd himself were still quite dependent

on hi s a . a a a r e rnings M ny ye rs fte , he thus

106 F ranz Lisz t.

- over sensitive pride . His programmes were al

a a of a w as w ys the c use this , seeing th t he quite

n a of i different to the peculi rities his public , upon whom he w as ever anxious to impose his ta stes .

a a n His f vorite m sters were Beethove , Weber , a nd a Hummel , whose m gniﬁcent works were too deep and subtle for the superﬁcial ta ste the n preva iling in French society . Although his re ndering never led to elicit unanimous a a enerall a a ppl use , it used to be y rem rked th t he deserved no congratul ation for the choice of his pieces . He w a s just turned seventeen years of age

n a a a n whe he pl yed , before select udie ce , Beet ’ hove n s Concerto in E-ﬂ at major ; considering

n a u u a the prese t st te of modern m sic, s ch performance on the p art of a virtuoso would

a d a a u sc rcely eserve speci l rem rk , but nder the

a w as an a i Restor tion it quite rt stic feat . W . von L a a L a enz , Russi n Councillor of eg tion , very prettily rel ates the impression it m ade

a st a in a a upon him when , r nger P ris , he re d in gigantic letters on the bright green (the then a na a an n of f shio ble color) pl ybill , the nou cement a n a extr concert to be given by M . Liszt at the ” n a a and at Co serv toire Roy l de Musique , which the young musician would pl ay the Concerto in B eethoven not App recia ted in P aris . 107

- E dat . Von Lenz w as just about to call on the

a a a a pi nist K lkbrenner to rr nge for lessons , but h aving judged from the bills th at the a rtist w ho ’ ventured to execute in public any of Beethoven s Concertos for the pianoforte must indeed possess

a h complete m stery over his instrument, he t ere ’ a nd then drove to Liszt s instead of to Kalk ’

a s at . brenner s , he ﬁrst intended

a a s an w a s In P ris , ywhere else , Beethoven

carcel m a a a y ore th n n me ; few , indeed , were the a rtists w ho were a cqu a inted with and ap p reciated the importance of his works . How misunderstood he w a s by some of the most eminent artists of the day appears from the

. Hab ck a a . ene of f“ct th t when A F , director the n a Concerts spirituels , bei g nxious to intro ’ duce to the public one of the great maes tro s

D- a productions , tried the symphony in sh rp ,

z Rudolph Kreut er, then ﬁrst violinist of the French Roya l Opera (the same musician to whom Beethoven “had dedicated the s on ata c alled after him Kreutzer Son ata pu“t his a a a Habeneck : F or h nds to his e rs , s ying to ’ a a a a bar He ven s s ke , de r friend , sp re us such ” a " b rous bungling It is , therefore , no wonder th at the public stood away from the Germ an m a ste r . Liszt w a s the ﬁrst virtuoso who had the cour 108 F ranz Lisz t.

’ age to a cqua int his p atrons with Beethoven s

a and . h rmonies melodies But, in order to secure ’ a a a ppl use for the m ster s works , he fell into the error of adorning or ra ther disﬁguring them by a dding to them musical ornaments of his ow n ma invention , which thus de his execution an ad aptation rather th an a faithful rendering . His cra ving for popul arity w a s then such th at it never occurred to him that such an expedie nt w a s of u a as a a unworthy his rep t tion pi nist, a nd a of a a t r unf ir to the genius the gre t m s e , whose works he distorted under the ple a of suit n i g them to the ta stes of his audience . Not to

a a Beethoven lone , but lso to Weber, Hummel , and others did he apply the same tre atment altering their works an d a dding to them unscru p ulously in order to ple a se the public . There is little to record respecting his ac tivit a s a a i and a s a y , both pi n st composer, ’ n during this period of conv alesce ce . The only ' production th at has s ur vived is his fantasia ’ “ n m a La on the Tyrolien e fro Auber s oper , ” a F iancee . It w as published in P ris by Trou ’ ti n na . a n a d Or e pe s Spe ki g of th t work , g , the a a a ble French music l critic, s ys it dis pl ays mock earnestness an d Byron ic spirit ; it ’ is coquettish and brilliantly written in Herz s ” style .

110 F ranz Lis z t.

’ a a n a nd and cre tures , for n tio s rights freedom , ,

h ad n a if need bee , died in ﬁghting the b ttle of the sovereignty of the people again st the divine

n . a ll a a right of ki gs His impulses were M gy r , - - a a and n a . w rm he rted , high mined , e thusi stic

and a G a La a t The old ho ry ener l de f ye te , the

a n w as hero of the Americ n i dependence , who ’ a now lso the defender of the people s rights , ’ a ppe a red in Fran z s eyes like the genius of L b i erty . h n Wit his mind be t upon such thoughts , Liszt set about composing a grand Symphonie ” Révolutionna ire . He took as model Beetho ’ “ ven s Battle of Vittoria . He divided his theme i nto three melodies : one w as of Slavonic origi n — it w a s an adaptation of a Hussite song of the ﬁfteenth century ; the other w a s a fan

a a G a a t si on the erm n nthem , Eine feste Burg ” ist unser Gott ; the third and la st w as taken - m a a . m a fro the M rseill ise Herois , deeply se ted

a nd religious belief, impulse for freedom such ’ L a were , in iszt s mind , the ch mpions who should secure the victory of the people a nd foster pea ce

a nd a n a n . good will mong tio s This symphony,

w n w as and ho ever ever completed , its sketch

a a o or is unfortun tely lost , so th t there is no pp tunity of now judging of its technical worth . i W nt o Kn R ea lizes H s a f ow ledge. 11 1

’ Franz s morbid feelings had n ow completely va n ished ; the excitement of the Revolution ha d

quite altered the bent of his mind . When

a n a a L spe ki g of this period , M d me iszt often ’ ’ ” used to rema rk C est le c anon qui l a guéri_l_ His interest in the social struggle that w a s to secure victo ry for the French bourgeoisie w as

d aily increa sing . Politics formed the topic of all a a n da a convers tions thus , when he ri g y fter ' da - a — s a vants y the best gifted men in P ris ,

a . a poets , rtistes , etc bly discussing the turn

n L a a s ad deﬁ of eve ts , iszt fr nkly dmitted his cien cy in all m atters th at did not relate to his

a a a art . The w nt of study beg n to m ke itself ’ grievously fel t in Fran z s endeavors to gra sp — the true requirements of the people the rea l me an ing of progressive culture and social happi

had all ness . Until then he devoted his powers

and - had energy to the study of music ; he , it

is a a a a true , le rned v rious modern l ngu ges , but his k nowledge of them w as not b ased upon the

of a a a n all scientiﬁc rules gr mm r, h vi g , except

G a a a t . erm n , been picked up when tr velling bou

a a and Of history , geogr phy , st tistics , other

a n a n . ex ct scie ces , he knew bsolutely othing

n a a a a With his emine tly excit ble n ture , ch nce word or expression overheard in conversation 112 F ranz Liszt. would often sufﬁce to ca rry him through a heap an d a n a an a of books , th t ofte lso without y s tis fa ctory result a s fa r a s his mental fa culties were ’ " D rti ne a h L co ncerned . O g thus rel tes ow iszt read wi th insatiable e agerness th e works of his gre at contemporaries : He would an xiously

a and a nd as a gr sp devour them , , it were , re d out the very hea rt of the writer . He would peruse a dictiona ry in the same ins atiable and restless m ann er as he would a poet . For four cons ecu tive hours he would study Boiste and Lam a rtine with penetrating spirit and se arching toil

a — he History , st tistics , philosophy , poetry tried them all ; an d though not thoroughly and sys tematicall a an n a s a y , yet in such m er to gr sp all their essential points . His craving for

n n w . a n n k owledge k e no bounds Music , p i ti g,

t da sculp ure , the politics of the y , the polemics of the press and the deb ates of the parliament a r tribune a and the y , liter ture , science , discus sion s of philosophers and the oratory of the — pulpit he felt equal attra ction for all The celebra ted politico-religious sect of Saint Simo nian s were now beginn ing to attra ct gen eral notice ; the growing interest felt in them a o u r sed the youthful curiosity of the virtuoso ,

G a z ette ill us ica le de Pa r is

114 F ranz Lis z t. not become thoroughly clea r and intelligibl e u ntil two ye ars later (from his intim ate inter

Lamennais eccen course with the Abbé de ) , the icities a - m a a t a t t“r of the S int Si oni ns le s imparted s h a pe to his thoughts on the subject . The ide a o f the a rtist a cti ng a s a medium between G od and the world now a ssumed tangible sh ape in his mind a s being the outcome of an everla sting

law . All his life Fran z h as indeed been a real priest of a rt : selﬁsh aims never m a rred his a ctions he never withdrew his a rtistic services

a a or aid from noble c use , his from suffering h umanity ’ Severa l of Lisz t s biographers h aving wrongly a a a - a sserted th t he joined the S int Simoni ns , the a 1844 eminent rtist wrote in , the following ' s tatement in answer to the allegation : It is quite correct th at I had the honor of being the intimate friend of several adherents of Saint

a a and Simonism , th t I visited their ssemblies m listened to their ser ons , but I never wore

a a an d a their f mous blue co t , still less their l ter

m . a unifor I never belonged , either ofﬁci lly or

not t and a n . , to the sec , never did them y service and a Heine sever l others , though compromised ” nd a a a . compromising , were in the s me c se Paganini . 115

’ Th e a at L z a - t unts is t s S int Simonism , con ’ tained n and w a a in Heine s writi gs , hich m teri lly n n contributed to develop erro eous impressio s , were rather the outpourings of momentary ill humor and person al vexation against the artist ’ h n th an t e expressio of the writer s real opinion s . About this time ( 1831) there appea red in Pa ris an art phe nomenon such as had never

or a a a been seen he rd before Nicolo P g nini, the a a an w a s an d music l wiz rd whose w d his bow, whose wondrous performances were to win for him the title of King of virtuosi .

On 9th a 183 1 a the of M rch , , the str nge, gaunt Italian with dem oniac gl ance stood in the Paris Opera House before a public composed of the ﬂower of the aristocra cy an d the elite of a rtists and am ateurs . The audience seemed - b the a a . L spell bound y m gic perform nce iszt, w ho w as a a r present , could sc rcely refr in f om expressing his admiration for the m atchless musician whose pl aying w as impelling his emula

and n tion with kindling ﬁre , givi g form to the artistic idea l which the study of the doctrines of — the S aint Simonians had awakened in his mind .

The form should not sound , but the) L spirit spe ak " Then only does the virtuoso h - of art become the igh priest , in whose mouth F ranz Liszt.

a a and a and e de d letters ssume life me ning , whos lips reveal the secrets of art to the sons of men

The Saint-Simonians had theoretically revealed to Lisz t the intimate connection which exists

n ar t and between religio , , the whole world ; ’ a an n a w as a of P g i i s pl ying , indeed , the pr ctice h nd th a t theory . Wit unlimited hope a inde scribable e agerness Liszt now resumed his piano forte pra ctice . He cea sed altogether to appea r in as a a and a public pi nist, , for time , led the l f a m n i e of recluse , his other bei g the only witness o f his persevering efforts to s till improve his a nd a ins tru power of execution , re ch on his ment the perfection possessed by Paganm1 over his v iolin . To pl ay on a single note w a s of ’ course out of question . That w as not Liszt s

a a a n object, lthough he might indeed h ve sto ished a o one the world by pl ying with nly ﬁnger, for he had so drilled each of his ﬁngers th at

a and all a they e ch possessed such r pidity , inde

endence and a s a p , ﬁrmness no other pi nist ever

. a possessed before By dint of l bor, industry , and n L n a a inventive ess, iszt i cre sed the be uty a nd bre a dth of sound of his instrumen t to a ma and a t a a t rvellous degree , , the s me time , de l

’ Liszt s Ges ammelte S chriften .

F ranz Lis z t.

’ which Pa ganini s wonderful attainments are jus tly and imp artially praised although dedi cated n ma a to the Ki g of virtuosi , kes no ttempt to conceal the deep and thorough antipathy felt ’ by Lis zt s noble a nd generous nature to the ’ Ita lian s narrow selﬁshness . XIV .

— - ﬂ . n n on . n . Berlioz . His i ue ce Liszt Fetis Chopi ’ n a a nd Liszt s e thusi sm love for the Polish musici an .

menn — La ai . His Life of Chopi n . Abbé de s His in

a n nc ﬂuence on Liszt . Democr tic te de ies .

IN ME 1830 L z a a a an RO , in , is t m de the cqu int ce of w ho had young Berlioz , been sent thither after having obtained the schol a rship known as “ ” m Prix de Rome . They used to eet at the Villa Medici and at the Cafe Greco in the company of Mendelssohn and other distin

uis hed a w nd a g rtists , with hom they fou ed club known under the facetious name of Soci ’ ” I i n été de l nd fférence en M atiere U iverselle .

(The Association of Universal Indifference . ) The time used to be plea santly spent in excur 11 a a a . sions to Subi co , Al tri , Monte C ssino , etc and of h G the works Beet oven , Schiller, oethe ,

a and a the H ydn , Moz rt used to furnish subjects

of a n h w as n their convers tio s . Suc the origi of the close and unbroken frie ndship w hich until ’ Berlioz s de ath existed between him a nd his ’ n Hu gari an colle ague . After Berlioz s m arri age

h a an a wit Miss H rriet Smithson , English ctress, ( 1 19) 120 F ranz Lis z t.

the young men became still more intimate ; and L w as n iszt , who the living in the Rue de Prov n ence , ofte used to visit his friend ; the even

i and ngs used to be devoted to music , the m atchless pianist would perform some of Beet ’ a a in the dark as to a hoven s son t s , so incre se

the impression produced . ’ Berlioz s affection for Liszt w a s such th at when a dverse criticisms appeared in the press about his friend he wa rmly took up his defence

in Le Corres ondent L a R evue E uro enne p , p é , ’ L e Courrier d E uro e and a p , other p pers for

a a which the French rtist w s then writing . When the ﬁckle Pa risians tried to oppose

'‘ 1 a e a w w h lb rg to his riv l , Berlioz gre quite ild , a nd used to assert th a t Liszt w a s the gre atest

a a n and u a pi nist of p st , prese t, f ture times ; pro

ceeding which the Hungaria n fully reciprocated .

9th 1832 z On the of December , , Hector Berlio

had o a s who just returned from R me , where ,

a had h before st ted, he been sent by the Frenc G a overnment , conducted person lly the perform “ ” a n a o a a ce of his f m us Symphonie f nt stique , “ ’ ” la entitled Episode de Vie d un Artiste , des tined to produce such a revolution in modern musica l composition . It w a s i ndeed a great

a and L all a music l event, iszt , with the le ding

22 1 F ranz Lisz t.

th at of practice . The hypotheses which he set up concerning the future development of b armo nions progress an d connection of sounds afforded great aid to the yet theoretically unproved bold n ess of the new combinati ons of sounds . At the lecture which he delivered in Paris in the winter

of 1832 of u and , on the Philosophy M sic, which

R evue Mus icale B el e he were published in the g“, w as the ﬁrst to express the Opinion that the ﬁnal aim both of tone and h armony must cons ist in an incre a sed approxim ation of all

and all and as a a of tones of keys , , m tter course , ” also of all h armonious progress . 183 1 a h a In , young Polis rtist, Frederick

ha d a a in a s on his w a to Chopin , ppe red P ri y n Engl an d . Having bee prevailed upon to pl ay

o a a had a t bef re the P ris“i n public , he given ﬁrs n in a a e co cert the S lle Pleyel , tow rd the clos of ea 1831 a e au e the y r , before sel ct dienc , com posed of the elite of the a rtistic world in

of a a s h Pa ris . The subject this perform nce w is

a E-ﬂ at he f mous Concerto in , besides which

d a a a n also rendere few m zurk s a d nocturnes . The delightfully poetical pl aying of ‘ the young

Pole secured for him the wa rmest reception . " But a s L a a s , iszt himself rel tes in rec lling thi

Notice biogra phique sur Frédéri c ChOpin et étude de ” son ( E uvre a r a n i a 18 5 2 . , p Fr z L szt ; P ris , Li zt an s d Chop in . 123

a a a of a a ﬁrst ppe r nce Chopin , neither dmir tion , nor the most boisterous enthusia sm a nd appl ause could suffice to express the delight w hich the Hungarian virtuoso felt in the presence of this

a a a genius , which reve led new ph se in the poetic feeling and the h appiest innovations in the f power o giving form to his a rt. From tha t concert d ates the unch anging and mutual affection the Pole and the Hungaria n felt for on e another . Chopin w a s in m any respects different from Liszt ; the only common ’ fe ature w a s their love of a rt. Chopin s w as a reserved an d exclusive nature . On two points only his indifference used to le ave him : m atters

a a a and s a in rel ting to his n tive l nd, tho e rel t g to a rt. ’ a When , through Berlioz s innov tions , the con test of the Romanticists against cl a ssical form al 1832 i ism broke out in , Chopin stood on the s de

of s . a progres His persever nce , his ﬁrmness , and the cle arness of his productions exercised ’ no small inﬂuence on Liszt s adhesion to the new musical school .

a innovater L z Although born , is t could not altogether free himself from cl a ssical discipline ; and the deep a dmiration he felt for the m asterly pr oductions of past geniuses opposed itself at 124 F ranz Lisz t. times to the enthusiasm the rom antic school

a a in . n a n n w kened him He we t lo g , pursui g his

a art and as his w a in ide l , groping , it were , y the dark ness of u“ncertainty : To our endea v ors , he to our struggles , just then

a n in n a n st ndi g so much eed of cert inty, bei g met a s it were at th at time by wisea cres who

h a s at a a shook their e d us , r ther th n by glorious ’ he of a a opponents , r lent us the support c lm , unsh ak able conviction, equally armed to resist ” ﬂ agging or allurement . ’ a and Chopin s serenity, his c lm discreet com

os ure a t a p , were indeed qu li ies which l rgely ’ n a L a d n a co tributed to tr nquilize iszt s r e t n ture , ' always on the poi nt of conﬂagration . Robert

a n n a L t in his Schum n , writi g bout isz letters, rem a rks : It a ppe ars a s if the sight of Chopin ” brought Liszt a ga in to his senses . The i nﬂue nce which Chopi n exe rcised on his ’ a a a a s a Hung ri n colle gue , expressed in the l tter s

a on a w a s u h a t perform nce the pi no , deep eno g ,

a to a th t time of fervid excitement, be pl ced

a a a it a beside th t of P g nini , though displ yed in itself a quite opposite m anner . The Italia n

c a Noti e biogr phique sur Frédéric Chopi n e . étude de ” s on CE uvr e ar a n a 18 5 2 . , p Fr z Liszt ; P ris ,

1 Chopin .

F ranz Lis z t. huma n voice ; wherea s until then the latter a n had n a a lo e bee sl vishly copied , with orn ments

a ha and th t d become stereotyped monotonous . Chopin i nve nted those wondrous h armonious progressions which lent a digniﬁed and serious

a a a a the ch r cter to p ss ges which , from light n a la a m an ture of the subject , y no cl i to y deep ” n sig iﬁcance . ’ Chopin s ornamentation did not unfold the whole scale of S clavonic sentiment ; it rem ained within the limits of the Polish n ational ch a rac n ter . In the m a zurkas it resembled the cla shi g

a and of knightly spurs in the w ltzes nocturnes ,

an a a a and pli t li n s , into which stole ye rning elegy the hi s tor1cal grief of the Poles . T his no doubt inﬂuenced Lisz t ; a nd when in his l a ter progress in all directions he possessed himself of th at spontaneity with which the Hun

a a a n a g ri n gipsies , th t ge uinely music l people , ’ a orituras be cre ted their ﬁ , Chopin s discipline

a n a a and c me visible , le ding rtistic be uty style to ’

a n a a . him a Fr z s orn ment tion In , too , it bec me a n integral part of art in the bro adest sense of

w a s 184 9 a t The book on Chopin written in ,

VVeimar . It is a most important contribution

a and at am a a a to biogr phy , the s e time v lu ble ’ study of Chopin s work . Blis R eli ious D oubts 12 g . 7

Doubts which could no longer be silenced by prayer and religious pra ctices ha d gra dually ’ crept into Lis zt s mind . In his perplexity he requested the Abbé de Lamennais to solve the enigma s th at disturbed his restless mind . The ’ priest appe aled to the young m an s feeli ngs

a s in and a though moment rily unk doubt , p rtly

a n confused by the prev ili g scepticism , yet deeply

o — a a and n him religi us b de him h lt , summo ed to p ause a nd reﬂect . Whilst releasmg the

n man you g from the fetters of blind belief , he led him b ack to faith . Through religion and faith being thus brought into h a rmony with the

a a a L z as a w as prev iling rtistic ide s , is t, virtuoso ,

in a of a and preserved , his ye rs mor l storms

m a struggles, fro the inner unste diness to which so m any t alented persons of tha t period fell victims . Lamennais w as no longer the defend er of

C atholicism or the champion of the Restora tion . Times had changed since the Breton a bbé in “ ’ his Essai sur l Indifférence en Matiere de ” Religio n endeavored to restore public fa ith in

n a a the pri ciple of uthority , thereby c using quite a n a n and nn the n a se s tio , wi ing from e thusi stic gratitude of the supporters of the Church the “ ” a proud surn me of Bossuet Moderne . In F ra nz Lisz t.

1831 ha d a a in a a , he lre dy , v rious rticles which ’ n a L A venir a he co tributed to the newsp per , pl ced I himself in opposition to the p a st . n these he had d a n a nd tried his emocr tic stre gth , stood up in the contest a s the powerful and gifted a dvo

a of a and c te Christi n brotherhood freedom , a its which , when rele sed from subjection to

n a pri ces , should unfold itself under the b nner of the Church .

For the second time in his life , though in ff Lamennais di erent circles of society, excited

a as on genera l admiration . His n me w every ’ and a s body s lips , his works bec me the topic of general conversation . The enthusia sm he a roused reached a clima x when he published his ow n a a in a defence g inst the Church , the f mous “ ’ ” Le a work entitled s P roles d un Croyant .

a has a G Th t book , which been c lled The ospel ” of a a a s a an a s Democr cy , cted ﬁrebr d c t into

a l Lamennais d a the C tho ic Church , for in it ecl red w a r a gainst the Pope and all the Princes of

Europe . It brought upon him the anathem a of “ ” and n a a a me , the me of post te from his

rm - er co religionists . C a rried a way by the d azzling eloquence and

a nd a a e bold hum ne ide s of the ﬁery priest , Liszt succeeded in appro aching him and disclos

130 F ranz Lisz t.

a and a n of a rem ins forever , the n tio s the e rth h a ve sh aken the yoke . No doub t can therefore be entertained respecting the prospects of art. In accord ance with the law recently voted

a a t a by the ch mber of Deputies , music will l st shortly be t a ught in schools throughout the bre a dth and length of France . We therefore congratul a te the representa tives of the n ation on

a t a a a s a th step , which we gl dly reg rd pledge th at greater efforts still will soon be m ade to — inﬂue nce the m a sses w e mean the ennobling ” of s a cred music .

a a a After reciting th t , when lt rs existed before

a n s which men could f ll on their k ees , churche

a a were the proper bode of s cred music , he goes on to s ay But now th at altars are shaken to their

a n now a and very found tio , th t religious rites

a are a at art a pr ctices r iled by sceptics , must le ve the s anctuary of temples and seek in the broad

a a a wo“rld ﬁt st ge for its sublime m nifestations . a s God and Music must , of yore , recognize the people a s its living fountain-hea d ; it must

the a and vice vers d ﬂow from the former to l tter ,

a s n and man a nd so to en oble , comfort , purify

bless and praise God . This can o nly be attained through the cre 1 1 His R hap s ody on Music . 3 a a a a tion of new music , which , for w nt of

a a n humanita better ppell tio , we would term r ia n a new th t style of music must be inspired ,

and a a strong effective ; it must p rt ke , in the

a a a l rgest possible proportions , of the ch r cteristics of a and ﬁne both the the tre the church ; in , it

at a a a and must be the s me time dr m tic holy ,

n and and s sple did simple , solemn erious , ﬁery,

and a . stormy , c lm ’ a ai a all The M rseill se , which , more th n the

a a n n mythic l ccounts of the Hi dus , the Chi ese , a nd G e has of the r eks , shown us the power — ’ music the Ma rseill aise and all the other noble hymns of liberty are the fruitful and sub lim“e forerunners of the music I here allude to . a n Yes , depend on it , we sh ll soo , in ﬁelds a s in villa es as and in forests , g in towns suburbs, in a s a a na workshops in h lls of meeting , he r tional a a an d , mor l , politic l religious songs , tunes a nd or a to and hymns composed f , to be t ught sung by the people ; sung by the workmen of a of cities s by the tillers the soil , by the boys and and girls , the men the women of the people " This will indeed be the ﬁ a t la w of art

a Come then , hour of deliver nce , when ‘ ’ and a poets musici ns , forgetting the public , will ’ ‘ have but one motto : God and the people " 132 F ranz Lisz t.

’ Lamennais s inﬂuen ce on Liszt w as m any sided and fa r-re achin g it extended much beyond religion and the ide a l of a rt . It m ade itself felt ’ in connection wit h the composer s idea of the hiera rchy of the Church . Before his a cqu aint “ ’ a nce with the author of Les Pa roles d un

an n a an had Croy t, the young Hu g ri no definite notion of wh at hierarchy re ally is ; it w a s the Breton abbé who explained to him the difl er L i and . z ence between rel gion the Church is t, now for the first time in his life , understood th at those tw o things stand to e a ch other in

a of and the rel tion contents to form , though

are a ff connected , two essenti lly di erent things which in pra ctice may be entirely opposed . The an athema hurled by Rome against Lamen n n ais now appe ared to Liszt in quite a ew light . ’ It roused the young m an s sympathies towa rd “ ” a m now his f therly friend , who he followed in his secession from the Church . ’ The following p assage contained in Liszt s “ ” t la a on work enti led De Situ ti des Artistes , and which ﬁrst appe ared in 1835 as a contribu

Gazette M usicale de P a ris a tion to the , cle rly shows what w as then the state of his mind concerning the Church The Rom an C atholic Church solely occu

134 F ranz Lis z t. based upon the obstacles which the middle

a diﬁ usion art a nd cl sses opposed to the of , to the a a f realization of the prev lent ide l o hum a nity .

a a a a He , however, lw ys c refully conce led his

a a s feelings in th t respect ; for, he wrote some

a ma a a a a where An rtist y h ve bstr ct ide s, but he may not become the p artisa n of a political

t n a creed , wi hout re dering his c lling impossible .

art all in our For , the solution of opinions , lies ” feeling of the brotherhood of mankind . a a a n s l n i n Appe rs g in i a ons a d n public . Ack owledge d the a n n cre tor of modern executio on the pi a o . Fetis . Grandes études de Pa gani ni The ﬁrst p artition for - - a n . . a n i nﬂu the pi o Victor Hugo George S d . Her

n on . n La r una r de e ce Liszt Cou tess p e .

LISZT now resumed his performances in the s alons of the a ristocra cy : he w as frequently seen at the residence of the Austrian Amb as

a on e s dor, Count Apponyi , of his former pro tectors an d a , whose gifted ccomplished consort — a ccorded him especial p atronage in the s a lons of the be autiful Polish Countess Plater and of the Duchess de Duras ; he also w a s a frequent v at isitor the houses of his two former pupils ,

of Ran an a of the lovely Duchess y , d ughter the

a and de Duchess of Dur s , the witty Viscountess

Larochefoucauld and a a a , in m ny other ristocr tic and a . a a a a a f milies He lso ppe red g in in public , proved himself quite a different artist from wh at the Pa risians had known him . Of his ’ d Orti ne execution , bordering on the wonderful , g ( 135 ) 136 F ranz Lis zt.

1834 Gazette Mus icale wrote , in , in the de

P a r is “ ' Our a all a of art and rtist sees in br nches ,

a in a a and a especi lly music , refr ction reﬂection ’

of a a a s G n . univers l ide s , in od s u iverse He is the most poetically complete whole of all the

ha s . impressions he received These impressions,

a n all a a a which , ccordi g to ppe r nce , he could not

an and a render by me s of speech , express in cle r , — decided thoughts these he reproduces on his

n n an a i strume t to unlimited extent , with un t

tainable a a power of truth , n tur l force , energy of n n n se timent a d ench anti g gra ce . Now his art

a is an an : is p ssive , it instrument , echo it

it an a a a a expresses, tr sl tes ; now it is g in ctive a a w it spe ks , it is the org n hich he uses for the ’ n n a L u foldi g of his ide s . iszt s execution is thus

a a a a a no mech nic l , m teri l exercise , but r ther,

and a a a a a in peculi r sense , composition , re l ” cr i ea t on of art . 1830 184 0 a L w as t From to , Fr nz iszt presen at every concert Berlioz gave ; he w as the n

a lter e o and a s ~ indeed the g , , it were , the comple m ent of the gre at Frenchman . At those concerts he often u sed to pl ay fanta sia s of his ow n and tra nsfers fro m the v a rious productions of his ’ frie nd . To th at period belong Liszt s transfers

138 F ranz Lisz t. displ ayed such extra ordinary merit th at it again c aused quite a sensa tion . With reference to ’ a n d Or ti ne a an d the s me co cert, g s ys the bold n ew combina tions of h armony of the Hungaria n

a w a r t and displ yed the deepest kno ledge of his , that his instrumentation w a s profusely rich in

and a coloring , th t it brought out unexpected a nd m agniﬁcent eﬂ ects by the transposition of

n a a nd a the pri cip l themes , by highly origin l - s ide themes taken from them . The progress made in the construction of pianos w as not without inﬂuence upon the

of a L modern style execution cre ted by iszt, for, as Fetis the elder rema rks The we ak sound and the thin strings of the old pianos aﬁ orded but miserable resources for coloring of execution : the contra st of loud and soft could only be fa intly m arked ; and this ex plains the rarity of nuances in the music of Cle

a n a Dus s ek and a menti , H yd , Moz rt , , other m sters of th at period . Towa rd the end of the eigh teenth and n of , the begin ing the nineteenth cen

a a m tury , gre t improvements were m de the construction of instruments especially in the “ ” “ s o- a a a a a c lled gr nd pi no , which g ined h lf

an a a and a of oct ve in comp ss , , in the h nds

a and a a a . Bro dwood Er rd , re ched gre t perfection o Innova tions in Pianof r te Playing . 139

From th a t time pian oforte music gains in color in and g, the execution becomes more powerful , from the soft an d pithy tones of the inst rumen t w as developed the possibility of a conn ected ”

a . style of pl ying , of expressive song

a a s a 184 0 a a As l te the ye r , pi noforte pl ying w a s a one a in gener l of single kind ; th t is , its

a a a and chief ch r cteristics were r pidity, lightness ,

n a a and and as smooth ess of the p ss ges ﬁgures , , a a a m reg rded expression , soft melody rising fro sentime nt ; this excluded strongly marked con tra s ts of feeling . But with Liszt counterpoint we a vings of the voices were tre ated a s har monious m asses ; melody an d a ccompan iments moved with equal power of tone ; single p arts disappeared and were merged in the general h a rmony execution rose to the dra matic inte rior emo tion and depth of expression reached a pomt which had never been dreamed of before . It w as about this time th at Liszt m ade the a cquaintance of the le aders of the rom antic

a : San deau school of liter ture Jules , Victor a and G Hugo , Alfred de Musset , Pl nché , eorge

Sand . Fran z Liszt had now rea ched the age when a and p assions ebb in tumultuously . His rdent r a a a a a a a om ntic n ture , his ttr ctive ppe r nce, his 14 0 F ranz Lisz t. wonderful success and already world-Wide repu tation a out as a , m rked him ﬁt victim for the god of love . He w as but twenty-three yea rs of age when

G a a a he met eorge S nd , th t wonderful wom n “ ” “” “ ” a a Le a a L who in Indi n , li , J cques , eone ”

. h a h L . ad t e eoni , etc , etc , stounded world by

a al a t a a a her m tchless t ent , the s me time sc nd l i zing it by the exposition of her aud acious social views . She had just returned from her fa mous es cap a de to Venice in the society of Alfred de n of the Musset, the incide ts which form subject ” of a Le a sever l of her works Secrét ire Intime , ’ ” L a et Lui L z ettres d un Voy geur , Elle is t ’ w as soon reckoned among Mad ame Sand s best

and a a ua a friends , gr du lly their mut l intim cy led to the form ation of a liais on of a still more

a a a a intim te ch r cter, which is s id by Heine to

a a a t h ve l sted for some ye rs , un il the ﬁckle woman left the ﬁery Hungarian for the meek

a a Pole , Chopin , with whom she tr velled in Sp in a nd spent a winter in M aj orca . ’ Liszt s intercourse with George S and quite altered“his ideal of love . He w as a t the age when images persu ade and metaphors con

n a are and conse vi ce , when te rs proofs , the quences of enthusia stic rapture are preferred to

142 F ranz Lis z t. return to Paris Fran z kept up an assiduous cor

n a T responde ce with the f ir Countess . hese

as L z a Ges am were , is t j estingly rem rks in his ” a t melte Schriften , his ﬁrst pr ctice in the lof y ” French style . This liaison does n ot appear to

a n a h h ve bee known to his biogr p ers , who , except R m nn L . a a a a ing , do not bre the single word of ’ d r i n . a O t e ha it The Frenchm n , g , seems to ve ’ detected the true cause of Liszt s absence from

a at a a P ris ; le st , his words , People suspected ” new a a a a a us p ssion behind his dis ppe r nce , le ve

to guess as much . ’ — oult. a n . The Countess d Ag Her p re ts Youth . Lia ison

with Liszt .

IN n a of 1 833-1 834 the following wi ter , th t ,

s alons a a and the the opened g in , youth , whose

a ha d a n ture , in the me ntime , become still more

a nd a a a a a ﬁery mi bly eccentric, beg n g in to be

i and a . t worsh pped dmired Then , for the ﬁrs

of a a nd a time , one the h ndsomest most f shion able l adies of Parisi an aristocra cy invited the virtuoso to h er p arties . Liszt w as in the bloom of youth and of rising fame when he m ade the a cquaintance of the wom an to whom his life w as to be linked for ten long years .

w as a a a man She in every respect rem rk ble wo , ’ and as one of a . , it were , N ture s jewels Her physical ch a rms were o nly equ alled by her

a t . a a a and a n ment l gif s N me , we lth , be uty , t le t , she seemed singled out for the highest a chieve m n n the m a e ts Indeed , u der pseudony of D niel Stern she m a de to herself an envia ble n ame in

a . a b French liter ture From her l st contri ution , ( 14 3 ) 144 F ranz Lisz t.

na n ub Mes souvenirs (perso l recollectio s) , p lished a 18 a few n a in P ris in 7 7 , mo ths fter

a are n a her de th , borrowed the followi g f cts respecting her family and e a rly life .

a a a Her f ther, Alex ndre Victor Fr ncois Vis a w as G a count de Fl vigny , born in enev , on the 1 1th of 1 0 and w as September, 77 , the sole heir of one of the most distinguished families of the

French nobility . When but a boy of tender ’ ye a rs he entered the Ki ng s service on the 12th of Ma 1 82 n a o f a e y , 7 though o ly twelve ye rs g , he obtained his commission as sub -lieute nan t in the regiment of Colonel-General of the roya l

French infantry . n When the Revolution broke out, the you g e ofﬁcer followed his regiment to Coblentz , th re

‘ ” to j om the Army of the Princes . ' L la Trémoille ha Prince ouis de , ving been i nstructed by the E nglish Government to raise

G a a a in erm ny regiment , destined to incre se the a of rmy of the Prince Condé , promoted the Vicomte de Flavigny to the rank of Lieuten ant

l and him a Co onel, directed to org nize the regi ment . For th at purpose the young Colonel - - - ca me to F rancfor t on the M ain in 17 9 7 . In the course of his negotiatio ns he m ade the a cquai nt a of a a n- nce the we lthy b nker, Simo Moritz Beth

146 F ranz Lisz t.

a r w a s ma a his p sspo t, he requested by the gistr te to quit without del ay the territory of F rancfort ; but a a w a s h ving t ken no heed of this order, he sent to prison . This severity only hastened the dénouement. It excited the p assion the young now ff om widow felt for the French o icer, wh she went to visit in his cell . H aving spent a

n the . man pretty lo g time with of her choice ,

n an d h a she retur ed home , wit boldness which her former timid ways s ca rcely warranted s ou s o o After thi , will y still persi t in your pp ” sition to his becoming my husband ? she sa id to her mother and brothe r . Before such deter a r a s had to w a and the min tion her el tion give y, e a n a ea the Vicomt de Fl vig y h ving been rel sed , ma rriage w as celebrated on the 29th of Septem

1 9 . a Ger ber, 7 7 The young couple rem ined in m any until such time as political e vents en abled the Vicomte to return to France . Although the m ajority of the emigrants had returned after the

9th o n and the of Thermid r, u der the Directory, l a st of them a fter the proclam ation of the Pea ce of and a n Amiens, the Comte Comtesse de Fl vig y stayed abro ad until the yea r 1809 . From their union two sons and a d aughter were born . The youngest of these children , the future Comtesse ’ d A oult w a s a a - at - g , n med M rie C herine Sophie ; ’ Countess d Agoult. 14 7 she w as at F rancfort-ou- - a on born the M in ,

a a 1805 . Christm s night , in the ye r

a a With reg rd to the d te of her birth , the ’ Countess d Agoult wrote the following lines There reigns in Germ any a certa in supersti tion concerning children born on Christm a s

Mitternachts kinder as are a . night , , they c lled

are of a a They supposed to be mysterious n ture , — more familiar th a n others with spirits more subject to dre ams and apparitions . I do not

a G a know the origin of th t erm n belief, but I

a ma must confess it , lthough such confession y diminish the opinion French wise acres h ave of

a m na as far as am me , I u ble I concerned , either to scoff at or to reject entirely the pop

a a a a ul r tr dition , ccording to which there exists certain rel ationship between spirits and myself . People will judge of it by wh at follows : Many a a n time , in the course of sorely tried existe ce , I had wa rnings in the shape of strange a nd a t a a lmos symbolic l dre ms , the recollection of which used to pursue me in the most extra

a a nd n m a an d ordin ry i co prehensible m nner, which used to relate exa ctly to the new and unforeseen events of my life and dispositions of my soul .

of a Moreover , in the midst serious illness , 14 8 F ranz Lisz t.

a a v a al and during crisis which might h e been f t , b which terri ly perplexed the doctors , the remedy th at s aved my life w a s reve aled to me in a n a . w as a a dre m This , indeed , inexplic ble reve

a a a a a s w a s l tion for person un cqu inted , I then , with the most rudimentary n otions of medicine ; it must h ave been tha t occul t power of insti nct i which the a ncients a scribed to the f gods ﬁ and of which modern science must reluctantly accept s ome fe w e mb arrassi ng manifestations ‘ When I recollect the critical and decisive

n of a f I n mome ts my p st li e , feel the i visible prese nce and help of a propitious ge nius ; no

a a a a t e a m tter wh t n me we c ll it , whe h r voice or a s t a ﬂu n t piri , its beneﬁci l in e ce s epped between

a nd a t a nd t m me the blows of f e , some i es con cealed a s in a az of me , if cloud , from the g e

m n a new to my ene ies , sudde ly imp rting vigor

a . at ri my cour ge Yet, the pe od of my life n i n whe I felt most rel gious , I knew either ecstasy nor visio ns ; the seraphic world of S w e denbor ha s n n to . g never bee know me Indeed , though I sometimes allow my imaginatio n to

F or the remedies which were suggested to me in my drea ms aga i nst my ﬁts of blood -spitti ng a nd swim mi ngs in the hea d I a m i ndebted solely to the pro te c ” n a n tio d fa vor of the gods . The Thoughts of the Em ”

eror a n n lib . i . ca . . p M rcus Aurelius A to ius , , p xvii

1 50 F ranz Lisz t. greatest latitude of thought an d conception by her German and tolera nt mother . The ﬁrst emotions of her childhood related to

a and a a a the civil w rs , to the git ted N poleonic

L a w as period . ike her f ther, she brought up in

a and a commu the C tholic religion , , fter her ﬁrst n a a a a ion , she entered the P risi n ristocr tic con - vent of the Sa cré Coeur . There she became intimate with the d aughters of the ﬁrst fa milies

a Laroche a uelein La of Fr nce the De j q , De roche

a . fouc uld , De Menou , De Vence , etc During her stay in the educa tion al establishment of the Rue " a a de a w as de V rennes , M demoiselle Fl vigny

a n especi lly oted for her pious dispositions, united to gre a t freedom of judgment in the examination

a s n of religious dogma s . She w but seventee ye ars of age when numerous suitors belonging to the most a ristocratic fa milies proposed to her

a . a s a man ca f mily Str nge to y , the only who p tivated L a her, the Count Auguste de eg rde ,

n a a a w a s Fre ch Amb ss dor in Sp in , not destined

to be her husband . The great difference of age he w as forty-ﬁve ye ars old w as alleged by the mother of the young Marie de Flavigny as

the cause of her ref usal to co nsent to the u nion . On 16th Ma 182 a a the of y , 7 , M rie de Fl vigny

i“ The Convent of the S acred Hea rt is situated on th at

street . ’ Countes s d Agoult. 15 1

’ w a s a th e a d A oult m rried to Count Ch rles g ,

n a n a - — a colo el of horse regime t , ide de c mp to

G a La -Maubour n n ener l tour g, ephew of Viscou t ’ ’ d A oult the n g , knight of Ki g s orders , ﬁrst

a a la a n and a equerry to M d me D uphi e , llied to the oldest and most illustrious Fren ch fam ilies . Her m arria ge s ettlemen t w a s signed by

n a X . a a a a Ki g Ch rles , the D uphin , M d me M rie

e e a Th r se , the D uphine , the Duchess of Berry,

L of a a e ouis Philippe , Duke Orle ns , M rie Am lie , ’ Demoiselle d Orleans (who became Ma dame

Adéla1de at of L the Court her brother, ouis

. Had a of Philippe) , etc she been princess the s a ha w for blood , she could c rcely ve ished more honors .

a a n After her m rri ge , the you g Countess ’ d Agoult became La dy of the Bedch amber to ’ the D uchess d Angouléme .

u 1830 she the Until the Revol tion of , lived

a of s a lons brilli nt existence the Court . Her were not, however , devoted solely to frivolity .

L a in iter ture , science , music , politics , furnished turn topics of conversation . The grea test name s of da at a a her the y met the Ch te u de Croissy , “” and at 6 of the summer residence , the h tel

a Mala uais : de n a - e " u i q Alfred Vig y , S inte Beuv , a M es Desch mps , Chopin , Rossini , eyerbeer, Ingr , 152 F ranz Lisz t.

’ Mi net a o d Eck s tein g , the B r n , Henri Heine

a a G a an d a L . M d me de ir rdin , Fr nz iszt Whe n the l atter ﬁrst frequented the s alons of ’ d A oult w a s a n -and the Countess g , she bout ni e ’ twenty ye ars old . From her six years ma rriage

three children had been born . ’ ’ From George S and s Lettres d un Voyageur is borrowed the following eloquent portrait of ’ the Countess d Agoult as she w as when the m a her G a use of French rom nticism met in enev , in 1835

f We visited the church of Saint Nicholasﬁ in “order to hear the ﬁnest organ ever m ade . f Arabella a to a a , i ccustomed sublime re liz an d a a au tions , immense ins ti ble spirit , h ghty and domineering before God and before men a s at d a a and like, prou ly upon the b lustr de , , casting her melanch oly and contemplative glance na a a over the lower ve , w ited in . v in for the

a a celesti l voices which vibr te in her bosom ,

a n no but which no hum n to gue , instrument a a a can a to m de by mort l h nds, c use sound to her e ars .

a an a Her bund t light h ir, dishevelled by the

In v n Freiburg , which they isited subseque tly .

a a . TBuilt by the f mous Swiss m ker , Mooser

‘ I An English name which is applied to the Countess ’ d A oult a n in g by George S d her letters .

154 F ranz Lisz t.

at in a who looks you complete surprise , to h ve found in his brai n even more power th an God

m a f Hi self, to gr ti y

w as a a a Such the wom n who , c ptiv ted by the

a nd a n of a an youth t le t the Hung ri virtuoso , a a a and and sac b ndoned for him husb nd child , , r iﬁ cin a and n g position , reput tion fortu e to her a n w a s a a p ssio , for ten ye rs the f ithful com p anion of his travels all over Europe . “ 184 0 a In , under the pseudonym of D niel ’ a a d A oult a Stern , M d me g turned her ttention

a . a a e to liter ture After v rious ttempts , she wrot for L a Press e an article which caused quite a n a an d a as a and im se s tion , st mped her clever

a a art . a a a p rti l critic This rticle , which ppe red in 184 1 w a s a a , criticism upon the m gniﬁcent

a a a a of p intings with which , fter l bor four

a a a a a ye rs , P ul Del roche dorned the f mous ceil ' ings of the then new semicircul a r h all of the

a . a P ris School of Fine Arts Another rticle , pointi ng out the purity of design and outline in ’ n a of w a s m an I gres portr it Cherubini , the e s of

ta a a a es blishing the reput tion of th t rtist , who out a e a a nd a w a of gr titud then bec me , fter rd ,

and a a n through esteem symp thy , ever re“m i ed , the fervent admirer a nd friend of Daniel ” Stern . ’ Countes s d Agoult. 15 5

a a n on Besides m ny critic l co tributions music ,

a and p inting sculpture , the Countess tried her h and at political economy and philosophy . In

184 5 u a s he off , j st bout the time broke her ’ liais on L a a d A oult with iszt , M d me g entered the

T a a rena of politics . wo rem rkable essays of ’ one on a a a d Arnim hers , M d me Bettin , the

on a a i n R evue other Henri Heine , ppe red the des dea r Mondes but the idea s expressed in these ess ays being opposed to those held by

on i u z a M s eur B lo , the proprietor of th t period

a a an d a ic l , she ce sed to contribute to it , bec me one of the most a ctive co ntributors to the R evue

Ind endante a rev1ew far ép , better suited to the a a a she displ y of her t lent . For th t review wrote successively various studies upon the political and intellectu al state of Germany ; ” e a a a and N lid , novel full of p ssion superbly “ ” n a a writte , wherein D niel Stern rel tes some of the le ading episodes of her own life . Then followed studies upon Count von Platen ; Haller m a G a a und , the f ther of erm n politic l poetry ; the America n philosopher and Unita ri a n min

s and an a the t i ter, Emerson ; ess y upon ﬁrs

Ge neral States of the Kingdom of Prussia . She

n a m the published one of her liter ry monu ents , Essai sur la liberté considérée comme principe 156 F ranz Lis zt.

’ et l a ctivité she ﬁn de In this, nobly s ays

w or a how I kne full well , r ther I felt , misled a re doctors who procl aim h appiness a s u a aim of man and a w h the ltim te , theologi ns o pretend th at such selﬁsh h appiness resides in the improgressive perpetuity of an ina ctive p os

God a man session of , from which possession h lf kind must be forever deprived . Indifferent to the attra ction of a rewa rd oppo s ed to my n ature and to the ideal of justice God Himself has a a w as a pl ced within my bre st , I nxious to dis cover another object for our sufferings and

a a a im . a ctions , nother for life I se rched , with inexpressible deta chment from all th a t brings j oy or hOp e to the hea rts of men ; my researches a and a and a were p tient protr cted , from my imp s s ioned meditation two books resulted s imulta L neousl : a a novel a t y psychologic l study , a ) th brought calm to my agitated so ul ; and an essay of moral philosophy that restored peace to my ” dist urbed mind . f; G a of 184 8 As with eorge S nd , the Revolution had a beneﬁcial inﬂuence on the mental state

it a o n n as the e and aim Ess y Liberty , co sidered sourc of human a ctivity

T Nélida .

a 1 Extr ct from the Ess ay on Liberty .

158 F ranz Lisz t. which sympathized with her ide al conceptions ; “ ’ ” she wrote Jeanne d Arc for the R evue de

P a ris .

1856 to 1858 she a and From went to It ly , resided in Florence Returning to France

a 185 8 an a tow rd the close of , the tip thy she felt toward the Imperia l Government decided

a a a a . a her g in to go bro d She st rted for Nice ,

r n a n and n whe e she spe t few mo ths , in the spri g

a sh e a she took the ro d to Turin , where ssisted at the e nthusia stic reception of her play of “ ’ ” a d Arc i a a . Je nne , wh ch , tr nsl ted by M Ernest

w as Dondini at Rossi, performed by the troupe the Gerbino Theatre . This residence in Turin restored serenity to ’ and the Countess s soul , brought her unexpected mtellectual pleasures . There she m ade the a cquai ntan ce of the le a ding s a vants and politi cians of a : an a- a a Rat It ly S t Ros , Count C vour , ' ta zzi a a a a e , De Filippi , M mi ni , P ll vicino , Po rio , - a a a . w as Visconti Venost , M uro M cchi , etc She also the frequent guest of King Victor Emman

a n and a uel , who bec me quite fo d of her, tre ted her with the greatest kindness . She wrote for ’ L e Siecle L d Italie a a in her ettres , portr it of ” 11 Re Gal antuomo which is considered the best ever penned . ’ Countess d A o g ult. 159

1860 n a In she retur ed to P ris , which she sca rcely ever left a fterwa rd . She then resumed

a a . an and G a her liter ry l bors D te oethe , the f ith

a her and ful comp nions of life , the bold poetic

n in an had thi kers who , her hours of guish , a on i e p oured b lm her “soul , furn sh d the subject of a sur a et her next work , Di logues D nte ” Goethe . S he s a lons as of now threw open her yore , but the society th at n ow ﬁlled them w a s more intel lectual th a n mund ane . Without foregoing a ny of i a a her polit c l , religious , or philosophic l con viction s n a , she received the chief represe t tives of a ll a an d a politic l philosophic l schools , think ers“of all p a rties . n a L a Pri ce Jerome N poleon , ittré , Ren n ,

a a H vet , Berthelot, used to meet there , on neutr l

a a of ground , with the rdent C tholic Duke Valmy ; in those s alons Counts de Fl avigny and de Viel C a stel bowed to such litera ry st ars a s Nis ard a G a d , Edou rd Thierry , Emile de ir r in ,

Neﬁ tzer t of n a L e , the proprie or the ewsp per

Tem s a Pons ard p , Dollfus , Fr nk to poets like , to a n a musici ns like the E glishm n , Alfred Holmes , the author of the beautiful sympho ny entitled

‘ ’ Jo an of Arc . “ 18 62 d In she wrote , un er the title of Flor 160 F ranz Lisz t. ence and Turin studies on “art and politics ; she also wrote an esteemed History of the Republic of the Confederate States of the Low ” Countries . She also composed some capita l pieces of poetry . ’ The Countess d Agoult died in Pa ris on the h 5t a 18 6 ff . of M rch , 7 , from the e ects of pleurisy

162 F ranz Lis z t.

v w as a a a w reco ery , he p rticul rly struck by sorro

n nan h a a a ful cou te ce , whic lent ddition l ch rm to her h a ndsome fe a tures .

a a a But grief dis ppe red , where s the former p a ssion broke forth with still more viole nce

a a cons th an heretofore . Afr id of the prob ble e

uences L q of their intercourse , iszt resolved to leave Pa ris and begin travelling . Pointing out to the Countess th a t the con cert-season w as over

in a and a now a a a P ris , th t he must tr vel bro d , so

a s a n a a to m i t in his reput tion , he informed her

of his inte ntion to le ave her . He hoped that with the im age of her dead

l a child stil present to her mind , she would gl dly a ccep t this opportunity of severing the ties that

a . bound her to him . He w s mistaken She

and a of opposed his wish , would not he r

separation .

‘ and a L z Surprised fe rful for the future , is t betook himself to a lodging in the suburbs of

a in n a as as a P ris , order to co ce l much possible

liais on a which , if publicly known , must h ve

ad a h dis strous consequences for both . Here the Countess visited him regul arly ; here he quietly

a n a nd pursued his studies re ding , writi g , com

n a w as of a re posi g , lthough his mind full pp h ens ion . ’ Countess d Agoult. 163

The cata strophe which he so sedulously avoided came at l a st .

had a a and the The Countess formed pl n , hour of its executio n w a s near at hand . She w a s weary of her r 6le a s a femme da monde we ary ” of being the Corin ne of the " ua i Malaquais ; we a ry of the cold politeness a nd bitter irony of a w as now the Count , her husb nd , who suspect ’ ing the truth of his wife s dishonor . She w as

a a nd a of a cr ving for liberty , we ry the restr int her position a s a wife and a lady imposed upon

her .

n w a s u a Her inte tion to give p her husb nd ,

and and child , position , public esteem fortune , le ave Paris with Liszt and become anew a wife and a a mother in some other p rt of the world . She a llowed herself to be carried beyond the p aths of honor and duty by her ardent and rom antic im agin ation . Although deeply enamored with the Countess Liszt felt it w a s his duty to oppose it stren

out all uously . He pointed to her the fe arful consequences of such a ra sh s tep : the slur

and an a inﬂicted on herself child , the sc d l it

a n a would c use , the u envi ble position he would a and himself be thus compelled to ssume , which would perh aps bring ruin and discredit to both . 164 F ranz Lis z t.

He even sought to inﬂuence the Countess by the

authority and weight of the opinion of others .

a m He ﬁrst persu ded her other, the Countess de

a w n an d Fl vigny, to interfere bet ee him her

a d daughter . She having failed to lter Ma ame ’ ’ d A oult s g resolution , he begged her confessor,

a De uerr cure the vener ble Abbé g y , of the Church of the Madeleine (afterward shot by the insur of and a gents the Commune) , to intervene , l stly a n an d a for ma a old respected gentlem n , ny ye rs ’ solicitor to the Count s family . Lamennais himself seems to h ave appe aled to nt and out the Cou ess , pointed to her the folly

of . her resolution . All to no purpose Neither

n a her a a the ge tle exhort tions of spiritu l dviser,

Lamennais nor d nor the ﬁery eloquence of , indee

a m a of a nor the c l repro ches the f mily solicitor, a and a i of the te rs entre t es her mother, could ' bring the Countess to her s enses . Her delusion w as incurable Many people are of opinion th at after this L a iszt ought to h ve broken with the Countess . He did not . His passion w as also t“oo strong and a a he submitted to wh t he c lled his fate . far m a Indeed , fro bre king with the Countess,

L z a h her is t followed her to B sle , w ere mother had at la st prevailed upon her to go for some

166 F ranz Lisz t. dent step his l ater proceedings were univer ” ’

a a . d A oult s lly c lled correct Count g himself , — ’ a s well as Count de Fl avigny the Countess s — brother could not refrain from altering their

n and a L a man Opi ion , publicly s ying , iszt is of ” honor ; he has now behaved like a gentleman . XVIII .

’ n n a Liszt and the Cou tess remove to Ge ev . Liszt s writ — ’ . in n a . a i ngs . Liszt s letters Life Ge ev Music l com ’

n n . to a n positio s . Berlioz s co cert Visit George S d a t

an . a n n a nd Noh t Dis greeme t betwee her the Countess . ’ Tra vels through Europe . Liszt s children .

’ AF TE R Madame de F lavigny s departure for

Parl s L and a for , iszt the Countess left B sle

G va a the ene , where they st yed until close of the

a 1836 . n a a and ye r In the spri g of th t ye r,

a L a before the entre ties of his friends , iszt c me to Pa ris in order to perform at a concert given by Berlio z : th at w a s his only absence from

Geneva during his residence there . For ﬁve yea rs Liszt travelled through Switz er

al a l and an d It y in the comp ny of the Countess . Though lea ding n o w a life in strong contra st L a a a z w a s . with his P risi n h bits , is t not idle d his and He evoted time to study, writing, com

position . In 1835 he contributed to the Gazette“mus i cale de P aris a series of a rticles entitled De la

a a and Situ tion des Artistes , bitter powerful ( 16 7 ) l 68 F ranz Lisz t. s atire against the p arsimony of the Government of L P a art and a a ouis hilippe tow rd , p rticul rly 183 18 3 . 5 7 music From to , he wrote succes “ ’ s ively va rious essays on People s Editions of ” ’ ” an import t Works , Meyerbeer s Huguenots , “ ’ nd a Thalber s n a criticism of g Compositio s . It w a s also during tha t period th at he carried on his polemics with Fetis concerning Thalberg and his music . During his period of tra vels with the Countess ’ d A oult L a a g iszt lso contributed , under the n me ’ ” L d un a -é s- a of ettres B chelier Musique , series of essays a nd criticisms to the Gazette musica le

de P a ris e . , then edited by Schl singer These letters conta in valuable i nforma tion respecting his life at the time they were written . They also form a v aluable contribution to musical history concerning artistic events and contem p ora ry musicians . They were w ritten from

a a — a G a a a v rious pl ces P ris , enev , Noh nt , Bell

n a nd t and a gio , Ve ice , other ci ies , ddressed to

G a a eorge S nd , the M j or Adolphe Pictet , Henri

n L Ronchaud Hei e , ouis de (to whom the Coun ’ tess d Agoult dedic ated her Memoirs Hector

Berlioz , etc . Spe aking of the prevalen t m ania of making ’ n u a a nd o e s self the s bject of convers tion , in

70 F ra nz Lisz t.

G a n in 1n a as enev , is i terest g m ny respects , both

n lifeathere and a s aff descriptio of his , ording ’ a n opportunity of judging of Liszt s degree of

‘ ' at and know in w hat culture the time , g were his views of art generally and of his confreres at the time

To GEORG E SAND .

E V 23 18 35 . G NE A , November , Having no cl a im to a pl a c e in the columns of R evue des deuzr M ondes a the , I m ke use of

Gazette mus ica le u nfortu those of the , which , n atel a o y , I must we ry with my p or prose in

to a to ar order rec ll myself your recollection , de

Ge orge . On e a my return hith r, from long excursion " in the n a n n r mou t i s , I fou d you brotherly epistle , for which I herewith th ank you a thousan d time s, although some expression s in it seem to imply. th at you will not be able to be with us so soo n t n a s promised . And ye how willi gly would I

n a n and a a a e tice you hither, str gest most f nt stic l of all travellers hither to this side of the

- ura a cloud girted J , which , in the f ding twilight, seem s to rise like a gloomy spectre between me

and a . w a my de rest friends Yet , h t could I

a to him an Lav A letter ddressed by George S d , Sur ” a e e t un e a s n d e a nd w a s in t r m i o ésert , which published l the R evue d es d eux r Iondes . Letter to George S and . 17 1 say to induce your curiosity to conquer your l az“iness ? In my Alpine wanderings I h ave been un - able to re a ch the snow covered tre asures of ’ a a a a n ture The w llwort , the nemone , the h rt s n tongue , with which you so fondly co verse , on a ccount of the lovely secrets which they whisper

ear a to your , whilst conce ling them from ours , “ do not venture to cling to the smooth walls of my white house .

a a n The music l republic which your so ri g ,

a ha s an lively f ncy been for me , th k

God a of w ishes an d ho es , until now, subject p , a a a thre tened with the mild l ws of intimid tion , i n and not yet with ex le a d imprisonment . As

a u a and reg rds myself, I m st blush for sh me confusion at the earthly dust which my feet

‘ a rosaic road a an r ise in the p long which I w der , when I thin k of your proud a nticip ation your be autiful dreams of the social working of — art to which my existence is devoted and con trast them with the gloomy discouragement th a t often a ssails me a t the sight of re ality ; when comp aring my fruitless efforts with my a rdent a spirations the nothingnes s of the p ro duction in nit thou ht with the ﬁ y of the g , the wonders wrought , in old times , by the three 172 F ranz Lisz t.

a and a times holy lyre , with the degr ded b rren position to which people seem an xious to con ﬁne it in the present day .

a n G n a the a Spe ki g of e ev , Protest nt Rome, Liszt in the s a me letter says

It so h appened that I arrived just on the eve of the ce ntennial celebration of the C a lvin is tic ma a h a Refor tion festiv l , w ich l sts three n whole days . The ﬁrst is devoted to you g peo ple by the p aternal authorities of the C anto n . How my hea rt throbbed w hen I s aw them swa rming about the ga rden like a cloud of

" au ra n n locusts They l ghed , , jumped , tur ed

a a nd e r m a a somers ults , did th i ut ost to pr ctic lly criticise the fa sts of the C atholics by devouring a q“ua ntity of li ttle cheese s (va cherins ) and t a rts . n da a a r The seco d y, peculi rly eligious holi ’ da o a n y , is s lemnized in S i t Peter s Church (the

a a n a the c thedr l) This temple , co secr ted to n w a s th e a pri ce of the Apostles , metropolit n

n 153 5 n a church u til August , , whe the pre cher,

a anno n ma n F “rel , ﬁrst u ced the Refor tio At the time when Gen eva w a s still ortho dox a a n a n n - o a a , the c thedr l co t i ed twe ty f ur lt rs ;

- n a . a nd ba s a n umerous pictures , st tues reliefs dor ed the walls .

1 74 F ranz Lisz t.

Jubilee w ill feel obliged to c on fess tha t these l a dies and gentlemen of the Protestant S a cred

a a Music l Society , the m jority of whom protested with such fan a tic zeal a gain st the laws of time an d a n f n a an com en h rmo y, could of er o ly sc ty p

a an n an d s tion for the gr deur, solem ess , inﬁnitely mysterious depths of the C atholic rites .

a a n had You would h ve l ughed i deed , " you see n the mon strously l a rge bill on which

na a a in and our mes ppe red big letters , which ,

a a a a a of for sever l d ys , ttr cted l rge groups

oa a n l n n a had l fers , xious y i quiri g wh t right we

d a n n a w for em di g ﬁve fr ncs , hile , from time

a a and immemori l , for three fr ncs , even less, they ha d procured the whole dose of h armony

a a a they require to spend ple s nt evening,

a m n m without fe r of night a re a d bad drea s .

a a Behind r iling hung with white , and a a s dorned with wre ths of ﬂower , resembling an a a the da lt r on y of the ﬁrst communion , n a a - a a were see , on terr ce like pl tform , host of n a and counterbasses violi s , oboes , b ssoons , , ‘ which executed the favorite overture to La ’ a a a a a D me Bl nche , while monstrous cryst l ch n delier as to a a t a , if the tune , let f ll me sured

Announci ng a concert give n in fa vor of the poor of

n a a nd a an n B el io oso and Ge ev the It li refugees , by Pri ce g j

an F r z Liszt . L etter to George S a nd . 175 intervals l a rge drops of oil o n the white and pink h ats of the elega nt Gen evese l adies . Here

Bel io os o d and upon , Prince g j , so highly esteeme

in the s a lons of a a an spoiled P risi n society , s g , ’ h a of n c o wit perfect t ste , some Belli i s omp si ’ t na and an tions , the lovely Schuber s sere de ,

a an an had It li rom ce , which he him self composed in honor of the ch arming Countess

de a . a Mir mont His pure , soft , vibr ting voice ,

a nd a a a his free simple method , ttr cted gener l

and a a ttention . Tremendous enthusi stic ap plause greeted him when he left the piano .

G a n a of And now , in enev , people o ly spe k the

- a w ho has a a high born rtist, expressed liber l ide s

a a nd w ho o a in liber l works , , with ut discl iming

nh m a n the crown i erited fro his ncestors , ﬁ ds his , glory in subordina ting it to th at plebia n diadem which socie ty bestowed upon nobility of mind and of talent . 35? it

to and a as as Come us , then , th t soon ’ ‘ h s al a a possible . Puzzi a re dy bought pipe of pe ace in your honor . Your ga rret is pre

a and a for a nd p red re dy your reception , my

an -of— a a pi o with the mother pe rl keys , h ving r a a m em ined untouched for the l st three onths ,

’ n c na n a nn one a The i k me of you g Herm , of Liszt s f vor ite pupils . 176 F ra nz Lisz t.

now a a is imp tiently w iting for you , before setting about ﬁlling the n eighboring moun ta in s

with its deep and conf used echo .

a a a F rewell , until we meet g in ,

RA Z L ZT F N IS .

’ Liszt s unfavorable opinion of the Genevese

w as a bl due in a a the public prob y , me sure , to a cold indifference they displ ayed tow rd him . The concerts he gave d uring his stay in G eneva

a s a n a . were, rule , very thi ly ttended It is , ’ e s at a t L however, quit po sible th the f c of iszt s ’ liais on s d A oult and with the Countes g , the

an da a o r public sc l th t foll wed it, we e the sole rea sons th at induced the over ~ scrupulous Gen v evese to hold aloof from the grea t irtuos o . ’

a t a w a s L ow n n . e Such , le st , iszt s opi ion Som body h aving one day rem arked before him that Geneva w as the only city of Europ e th at did ’ not a n a L a n and displ y e thusi sm for iszt s t le t , h aving suggested th a t the a pathy shown by her citizens proceeded prob ably from their deﬁcient

a a n a a a t a an d music l t ste , the H“u g ri n rtis c lmly bluntly rem arked : S ay rather th a t it is my s canda lous li e a s a t f , they term it , th t de ers them ” from coming to my con certs .

G a L z a During his residence in enev , is t m de

178 F ranz Lisz t.

a a a it herself C rried w y by the melody , excited

a a a n a by the perfume of H v n , lulled by the ebb and ﬂow of the be autiful l a ke lying before

w a s a her, she quite moved by the poetic ch rm

a n perva ding the piece . H vi g retired to her a a n all a s w as p rtme t , she wrote night, her

at a an d the da a to the custom Noh nt , next y re d

n an d L a a n Cou tess to iszt lyric l story , u der the ” Le Contraba ndier o had title of , int which she ’ worked up the im ag“es which Liszt s music ha d a wakened in her the poetical transl ation of a a s a n a n piece of music , Jules J ni c lled it, whe rel ating the incident in the Gazette musicale de

P aris .

During his wanderings through Switzerl and

L a a a a iszt composed gre t m ny works , princip lly songs and pi anoforte pieces . These were pub lished 184 2 a in in Vienn , in three volumes , “ ’ u nder the general title of Album d un Voy ” a eur le a . g , Compositions pour Pi no Foremost ” “ a are L Lac a mong these yon , Au de W llen ' ” a Les G a at st dt, Cloches de A gl nce these musical gems sufﬁces to indicate how pow ’ erful w as the inﬂuen ce of Na ture on Liszt s

. a n a a genius They be r , i deed , the st mp of N ture deeply impressed upo n them . They speak of ’ L z a s is t s deep feeling for N ture , whose ilent tt r to eo e L e e G rg S and . 179

a a and cre tions , intim te emotions , ferments storms

an were , to his mind , but echo of his own

i nwa rd feelings and impressions . ’ The greater p a rt of Liszt s compositio ns be ar a a a to a motto , word , line , pointing thought and a mood . His enemies and detra ctors seized

to a a denounc this opportunity renew their tt cks , ing vehemently wh at they termed a ridiculous m ania . In answer to those criticisms Liszt wrote the following to George Sand ’ a a a a Considering th t the musici n s l ngu ge ,

a an more th n y other , lends itself to undecided a nd a a a rbitr ry interpret tions , it is not useless , and a all ridiculous as a re a , bove , not , they ple sed on a a to to term it, the p rt of composer give ,

a few a s chical in words , p y sketch of his work , expressive of the ide a th at served as ground work to the composition .

a a a a G a a As lre dy rr nged , eorge S nd c me with

n a and a G a her childre , Sol nge M urice , to enev , there to spend the summer with the Countess L z n and Lis zt . In the following October is t a d the Countess decided to start for Italy : but Berlioz h aving requested his friend to come to a concert which he w as on the point of giving in a L to off a P ris , iszt resolved put his dep rture for the south and to send the Countess to George 18 F 0 r anz Lisz t.

’ a a at o an a S nd s est te N h t during his st y in Pa ri s .

n a a a a Bei g of n tur lly h ughty temper, the ’ Countess d Agoult could not long a gree with ” too a n a t d a a and the fr k u horess of In i n , , life

m n a a in co mon becomi g intoler ble , rupture fol

l . n of L t owed Bei g informed this , isz hurried

a a n and a endeav b ck to Noh t, fter unsuccessfully

n ma a ori g to mend tters , he c me to the conclu sion th at the tempers of the two women were

a and a incomp tible , , not without inw rd grief, he decided to brea k oﬁ with his frien d for the sake of the Countess . Never after did Lis zt visit

Nohant . Bei ng now anxious to carry out his projected

L a a concert tour, iszt, ccomp nied by the Countess ’ d A oult a a a of g , rrived in Mil n in the utumn

1 a 837 . Though only intending to m ke a short

a a ia a st y in the It l n city , the w rmth of the reception a ccorded him by the Milan ese altered

i an and t Milan a his pl s , he set led down in for

n a n co sider ble time , his reside ce there being

a n na only interrupted by jour ey to Vien , where his admirable talent aroused the wildest enthu n s ias m . Subsequently he visited Ve ice and

in a . Rome , which city he resided sever l months In the winter of 183 9 Liszt a ga in visited

Vienna . There he a chieved the mos t brilliant

182 F ranz Lis z t.

ment the Empire decl ared w ar against Prussia . 2 M adame Emile Ollivier died in 18 6 . Her a w as a sister Cosim the wife of H ns von Bulow, afterwa rd of the then unknown Richa rd Wag da a ner . Both his ughters were ccomplished

a a nd a of a nd l dies , , like their f ther , gentle kind h . a a a a n w ho as disposition M d me Cosim W g er,

a a s lost her second husb nd , lone survive her

a f ther . — — n . a n Sep a rates from the Cou tess Tr vels alone . F rie d n — ship betwee n Wa gner a d himself. Performs the Ta nn ” — n h a ii ser . Re ewed ﬁts of mysticism . His m arri a ge

n n n . n in with the Pri cess Wittge stei E ters Holy Orders .

and a a n n Liszt the l te Emperor N poleo . The Hu ga n ri a title .

ALTHOUGH Liszt origin ally intended to travel to ’ a th e a a a d A oult Russi in comp ny of M d me g , he left her in Pa ris with her children to the

a a a c re of his mother , lest the f tigues of such ’ long journey might imp air the Countess s alre ady

declining he alth . Some people h a ve s aid th at this step w a s t aken by Liszt because of Mad ame ’ ’ d A oult s a a d g p ssion te temper, which ren ered

a a . as ma life unbe r ble to him Be it it y , he a a performed lone his journey through Russi ,

where his n ame w as alre ady quite popula r . In

a St . Petersburg his ﬁrst concert re lized the enor mous sum of ﬁfty tho usand francs (56 In Moscow the population w as so e ager to hear

a n a a a s him th t , i ste d of pl ying but once he

orl mall n ha d g y inte ded , he to give six concerts 25 27 29 2 5 and 12 Ma ( , , April ; , , y , On ( 183) 184 F ranz Lis z t. his return he met with a n enthusiastic reception in a a a a B v ri , where he g ve concerts in Munich a nd in Augsburg .

a a a v and H ving g in isited Berlin Dresden , L t a isz settled in Weim r , receiving from the Grand Duke the appointment of ﬁrst Grand - a a . w Duc l K ppel meister He did not , ho ever,

d n in a a end of resi e lo g Weim r, for tow rd the 184 4 and 184 5 , during the whole of , longing

a for more success, he went successively to Sp in and Portugal . Having le arned th at a statue ra ised by sub scription a mong the v arious princes of Germ any w a s a bout to be erected to the memory of Beet a o hoven , he c me purposely to Bonn in rder to organize a festival to celebrate the event . To

a a a a a w as th t end he composed c nt t , which sung on n da a and in the openi g y of the festiv l , , his

a a a enthusi sm for the memory of the gre t m ster, he nearly rui ned himself by p ayi ng the he avy expe nses arisin g from the organization of the " ”

t a . n a F étis w as fes iv l To be rui ed , s ys , n ot L a ma a m n to iszt tter of gre t ome t , but the ingratitude and injustice h e re aped from his n oble devoti on an d ge nerous efforts to do honor ' In a a a a his Letters , Berlioz s ys th t Liszt p id bove fra ncs o ut of his o w n po cket towa rd the expe nses of the Bo nn fcs ma l

186 F ranz Lis z t.

a . n the new music l theories I deed , it is not , ’ a a h a m a L perh ps , r s to ssu e th t but for iszt s ’ f a a a s a devoted e forts , W gner s n me composer would scarcely enjoy the celebrity which the rendering of his ma sterpieces has a cquired for

him .

a 18 51 a a In work published in , W gner s ys ,

a L an with reg rd to his friendship with iszt , d “" the aid he derived from it : Again I w as thoroughly disheartened from underta king any

new ar tistic scheme . Only recently I had had proofs of the impossibility of making my art

and all intelligible to the public, this deterred me

new a a . from beginning dr m tic works Indeed , I thought th at every thing w as at an end with my

a a a rtistic creativeness . From this st te of ment l

dejection I w as raised by a friend . By most e vident and undeniable proofs he made me a w a s not but on feel th t I deserted , , the con

trar y , understood deeply by those even who were otherwise most distant from me ; in this w ay he gave me b ack my full artistic

conﬁdence . This wonderful friend Franz Liszt has been

to me . I must enter a little more deeply into

n 18 4 9 a n n nc After the Revolutio of , W g er , se te ed to

d a a a n in a had n e th for p rticip tio the outbre k , bee obliged to n leave Germa y . Wagner a nd Lisz t. 187

a a of ma the ch r cter this friendship , which to ny

has a a a : n a seemed p r doxic l i deed , I h ve been compelled to appea r repellant and hostile on so

a a a o a a of dis m ny sides , th t I lm st feel w nt closi ng all th a t rel ates to this sympathetic i nt“ercourse . I met Liszt for the ﬁrst time during my

a a in a and at a e rliest st y P ris , period when I had n na renou ced the hope , y , even the wish of a a a a and w as a P risi n reput tion , , indeed , in sta te of intern al revolt against the artistic life I found there . At our meeting Lis zt a ppe ared to me the most perfect contra st to my own i t bei ng and sit uation . In the m ds of this Par i a had to si n society, to which it been my desire

a u a L had ﬂy from my n rrow circ mst nces , iszt

a a e as grown up , from his e rliest g , so to be the object of general love and admiration at a time when I w a s repulsed by general coldness and

a a . w nt of symp thy In consequence , I looked

had upon him with suspicion . I no opportunity n and to and of disclosi g my being work him , , met on a therefore , the reception I with his p rt w a s a a a a s w a s in ltogether of superﬁci l kind , deed quite n atural in a man to w hom every day the most divergent impressions cl aimed access . But I w as not in a mood to look with unprej u 188 F ranz Lis z t.

diced eyes for the n atural cause of his beh aviour

an d n in not which , friendly obligi g itself, could

but hurt me in th at st ate of my mind . I never

a a on L an d repe ted my ﬁrst c ll iszt, without

n n w as k owing or eve wishing to know him , I prone to look upon him a s strange and adverse to “my n ature . My repeated expression of this feeling w as

a a L a t fterw rds reported to iszt , just the time when the performan ce of my Rienzi at Dresden

s a ttracted gen eral a ttention . He w a surprised to ﬁnd himself misunderstood with such violence

a an had a and by m whom he sc rcely known , whose a cquai ntan ce n ow seemed not without m at v alue to him . I a still touched recollecting the repeated an d eager attempts he m a de to a n w ch nge my opi ion of him, even before he kne any of my works . He a cted not from any a a u l a rtistic symp thy , but led by the p re y hum n wish of discontinuing a c a sual dish armony be tween himself and a fellow-cre ature perh aps he also felt an inﬁ nitely tender misgiving of h aving hurt me unconsciously . He who knows the terrible selﬁshness and i nsensibility in our

a and a a soci l life , especi lly in the rel tions of

n a a h a nn t moder rtists to e c other, c o but be

u n na a str ck with wo der, y , delight , by the tre t ment I received from this extra ordinary man .

190 F ranz Lis zt.

a the music , he felt in performing it ; wh t I n it n wanted to express in writi g dow , b e pro

t an s a a in a n . cl imed m king it sou d S r ge to y ,

a a n through the love of this r rest friend , I g i ed , at n a a the moment of becomi g homeless , re l

art had and home for my , which I longed sought for“a lways in the wro ng place . end a a at a At the of my l st st y P ris , when

- n a nd a s at ill , broken dow desp iring , I brooding

a of m over my f te , my eye fell on the score y ’

L a . ohengrin , tot lly forgotten by me Suddenly I fel t something like compassion that this music - should never sound from off the death p ale p aper . I wrote two lines to Liszt his a nswer w a s the news th at preparations for the perform ance were being m ade on the l a rges t sc ale the limited n me ans of Weima r would permi t. Everythi g th at men and circumstan ces could do w as don e in order to make the work understood . Er rors an d miscon ception s impeded the desired

success . Wh a t w as to be done to supply wha t

w a s an a s w ted , so to further the true under

a n on a ll and a st ndi g sides , with it the ultim te

? L sa w at n and success of the work iszt it o ce ,

did it . He gave to the public his ow n impres sion of the work in a manner the convinci ng eloquence a nd overpowering efﬁca cy of which T k s H l a e o y Orders . 19 1

a u a . w a s a and rem in nequ lled Success his rew rd ,

h a o a me a n w“it this success he now ppr ches , s yi g a o m far r a a Behold , we h ve c e so , now c e te us ’ a ma o r new work th t we y g still fu ther .

his n a a on a t ma L ha d Since i st ll ti Wei r, iszt u ndertaken frequent journ eys to Rome and to 1 a . n 8 6 1 w a s a P ris I deed , in , there rumor of 1118 mtended m a rriage with the Princess Witt gens tein ; a nd people s aid th at the obj ect of his ’ visits to Rome w a s to obtain the Pope s consent m . a a d n a to this union However th t y be , uri g s t a a 1864 vi i which the musici n p id to Rome in , being unable to resist a ny longer the intense mysticism which of l ate yea rs again a ssailed him h e l a u m n n , sudden y m de p his i d to e ter 2 h 1 . 5t 8 65 a nd Holy Orders On the of April , , ’ the n a n he w as with Pope s dispe s tio , subj ected of the tons ur e his n to the ceremony by frie d , then Archbishop an d a fterwa rd Cardinal ‘ of

h n the a a a . Ho e lohe , in ch pel of the V tic n Since then the Abbe Liszt had not given up

a a s a his c reer composer , but he devoted his time to writing s acred music ; he also continued to teach the secrets of his won derful executio n to the numerous pupils who ﬂocked to him from all Ta us i w ho countries ; the best of these , g, seemed destined to continue the traditions of 2 19 F ra nz Lisz t.

l a a a a a o. the m ster , unfortun te y died few ye rs g Although Liszt had of course abando ned his

a a s a c reer virtuoso , he still from time to time ga ve concerts for the be nett of C atholic ins titu tions and ch arities .

18 66 a a L a In , during visit to P ris , iszt, we r ’ an a a ing bbé s co t , himself conducted the per formance of one n his “ of his own compositio s , a S ole mnis in a Miss , the church of S int Eus

a . La a a a t che st Febru ry , during his st y in P ris , he also conducted the performance of his cele “ ” brated G a a in a a r n M ss the s me church , perform ance which fully m a i ntained the cla ims of the Hunga ria n a s on e of the most powerful composers an d the best pia n ist of our day . The fa ct of his h a vi ng en tered in Holy Orders n has bee n de ied in v a rious qua rters . The emi

a e a a nent music l critic , F tis , seems to h ve gre t misgivi ngs regarding the truth of it ; after ’ pointing out Liszt s well-known eccentricity a nd

a a e n a ma cr ving for popul rity, F tis hi ts th t it y o nly h ave been a rumor spre ad by Liszt or his friends to keep his n ame before the public . Be

as ma it a L t w a s it it y , is just possible th t isz

a t n a n a nd a not ord ined pries or eve de co , th t he w a s i ndebted for his title of abbé (which in the C a tholic hierarchy is a mere title of courtesy)

’ — — ’ a . as a litté ra teur Liszt s music l works Liszt . Liszt s

a a nd a biogr phers critics . L st visit of Liszt to London .

T a a L z has a the MOS ppropri tely, is t been c lled ”

a a a o . n a P g nini of the pi n I deed , like the gre t

a a e It li n virtuoso , his instrument s emed to pos

no for and he sess secret him , so completely did

as ﬁ t and not m ter dif cul ies which to others , a a a n s a mon the le st t le ted , eemed , g ( insuper ble th at his execution may be said to have consisted L but of a series of tours de force. ike Paganini ’ al t at a s L so, hough unlike most gre rti ts , iszt s w as a s a bo as a o most uccessful c reer , th virtuos

and as a . a composer Unlike Moz rt, Beethoven ,

a and Berlioz , W gner, scores of other eminent

s a a a mu ici ns , fortune smiled upon the f scin ting and symp athetic Hungarian from the time of

a debut and s as na and his e rliest , it seem if ture providential circumstances cp ncurred to secure fame an d success for him . Li s zt w as not only the most wonderful pianist

a e w as a a t a th t ver lived , he lso mos t lented c e an s b a the omposer ; ind ed , m y of his work e r ( 19 4 ) ’

Lisz t s Musica l Works . 19 5

im r of a a p ess deep music l genius , notwithst nding the fact that in some of his pianoforte pieces he w a s often taunted with writin g themes of such enormous difﬁculty that no one but himself co uld render them s atisfa ctorily . As a church L z composer, is t rose to supreme eminence in his ” a a and or torio entitled Christus Or torium , in ‘ his 1Legend of S aint Elizabeth of Hu ngary . ’ “ ” Lis zt s transcriptions for the piano are all of them incomp arable m asterpieces . Among this ’ class of Liszt s productions the most important ’ “ ” ’ are : a a Schubert s Ave M ri , Berlioz s Over ” L a a L ture to King e r , M demoiselle ouise Ber ’ ” ’ “ La a a and Les tin s Esmer ld , Rossini s ” n soirées musicales . Amo g his own composi tions may be me ntioned as the most remark able Mazepp a a number of divinely s w eet melo dies entitled Consol ations Hungaria

’ ” e i funébre an a a H ro de , his c t t written for the ’ occasion of the unveiling of Beethoven s statue ” at n and a all the Bon bove , his Prometheus , appe arance of which se nt a thrill of a dmiration throughout the musical world . Amo ng his sa cred compositions may be noticed

a a in a sever l M sses , performed gre t pomp in the churches of France arid Hunga ry ; the most important of which a re the so-called Gran 196 F ranz Lisz t. “ Mass ( Graner Mes s e) and the Coron ation

Mass . In 1870 Lis zt composed a cantata destined to be sung at the fetes organized in Germany in connectio n with the celebratio n of the hundreth ’ ann iversary of Beethoven s birth . The pen w as a s familia r to Liszt as the key bo ard . Besides numerous contributions to musi cal a and L z a p pers reviews , is t wrote number of

a ma as t works , mon“g which y be cited mos important : Polémique sur ' berg controversy) ; the letter to Ma d ame George a n and la t a S d , the series entitled De Si“u tion des Artistes ; a critical essay on the Ta nn ” haii s er and the Lohe ng ri n of Rich ard lVag n er ; a pa mphlet e ntitled De la Fonda tion Goe the a Weim a r (the Goethe Ins titute at Weima r) his biogra phical and critical study on

F rederic n a nd and a Chopi his music l st, though

a a not le st , most interesting contribution to

a a et de r music l liter ture , Des Bohémiens leu

Hon rie . t a a a Musique en g Al hough Hung ri n , L a ll and a t iszt wrote his works in French , eleg n

ma a a French , too ; indeed , French y be s id to h ve

- n he t been his mother to gue , for spoke it wi h the greatest p urity a nd without the slightest a c

a w a s a a cent , where s he but imperfectly cqu inted

1 98 F ranz Lisz t.

pseudonym of Robert Fran z . It appe ars th at th at p suedonym covers the n ame of a Russian

n a a a a a w Cou tess , M d me Olg de J nin , who , hile receiving lessons from Liszt during his residence

a a m in Rome , is s id to h ve been much ore inti m ately connected with Liszt th an is usu al

a a between pupil and te acher . Those lleg tions

a n n a h ve , however , bee de ied in nother work , “ ’ ” a a entitled Souvenirs d un Pi niste , which p p eared also in Pa ris in 18 74 .

n 1886 a a few In the spri g of , fter spending

a a weeks in P ris , where he met with most

a Abbe L n otw iths tand he rty reception , the iszt ,

a a e a u ing his gre t g , llowed himself to be ind ced to visit London once more . Nearly h alf a century had el apsed since his

a — a n l st visit to this country visit which i deed ,

n n a a t to owi g to the cool ess , mounting lmos ffer w as indi ence , with which he received , could n ot h ave left a very favorable impression on ’

a . the musici n s mind Now, however , the wel come accorded to the eminent Abbe by all a u cl sses of society, from the " een herself down

her h w as to umblest subject, , indeed , most ’ n e thusia stic . Her Majesty requested the Abbé s a a at r and a him the ttend nce Windso , tre ted with E nthus ias tic R ecep tion . 1 9 9

3g a greatest distinction . At the recit l given in ’ ’

L t a t . a a n a a isz s honor St J mes s H ll , the Hu g ri n a rtist w as received with a regul a r storm of a a and n da ppl use , duri g the few ys he spent in England he everywhere met with a perfect ovation . This w a s not merely a s an hom a ge p aid to

a a a s a u his superb t lent, but lso the he rty trib te of the a dmiration felt by the people of this country for on e whose life has been spent in unostentatiously doing good to his fellow cre a

an d l n tures , powerful y contributi g to the prog

ma ress of the noble a rt of music . It y also be rega rded a s the a pology of the people for the slight inﬂicted by former genera tions .

a o n a c an A short time g , the " uee gr ciously omm ded

a a u a ca c a n . th t b st of herself by the Roy l A demi i , M Boehm , should be sent to the Abbé as a roya l a cknowledgment of his talents . XXI.

a De th of Liszt.

THE Abbe Fran z Lisz t died of a cute pneumonia a t a 1s t 1886 in midnight on Sund y , August , , the o ar house of his friend, Herr Fr hlich , ne ’ a a Wahnfried at a e of W gner s Vill , , the g seventy

ﬁve . w as e u L z w a s As his wont very s mmer , is t in a t the t of one B yreuth , superin ending produc ion ’ of a a a r W gner s m sterpieces , when de th ove took him . ’ For some time back the great musician s health had been declining : he had lo s t his cheer a s had a e a his fulness , dropsic l swelling pp red in legs— al w ays a d angerous symptom w ith elderly people — and the strain put upon his nervou s system by the fatigue an d excitement of his last visit to London a nd to Pa ris seems to h ave

u a of a - t bro ght bout symptoms br in sof ening .

u n a nd a w Thro gh i telligent devoted c re , ho ever,

a a a a a a the l rming symptoms gr du lly dis ppe red , and it w as hoped by his friends that his pow ( 200)

202 F ranz Lisz t.

25 th u a had of J ly , lthou gh his doctor this

a n and a nd a time w r ed him , his friends ttend a of n nts , the serious co sequences which might n i follow the slightest imprude ce on h s p art .

a a L z Notwithst nding such sound dvice , is t requested to be ca rried in an arm-ch air i nto his ’ a daughter s box . The uditorium being , for the

s of a a at purpo e the pl y , quite d rk the time , the a ilin g Abbe w as saved the trying ordeal of a

a t a w public welcome , seeing th the spect tors ere n thus unawa re of his presence . Duri g the whole perform ance he w as in a nervous and tearful

a and a a st te , took quite mel ncholy view of his — situation a rather unusual thing for him

to do . He w as taken home in a very we ak state ;

a nd a a a , on the Tuesd y following , unmist k ble symptoms of an a cute attack of pneumonia set i ' in . ra dl a nd He then lost strength p y , on the

Frid ay beca me delirious . It w as now evident that the poor Abbe w as doomed ; and on Sun

da 1st a n v y , the of August, the doctors h vi g gi en

a a a a a up their p tient , the l st s cr ments were dmin

istered to him . Consciousness seemed to return for a short time ; but the Abbenever completely

a and a r llied , , shortly before midnight, he pe ce fully p assed away in the prese nce of his daugh D ea th of Lisz t. 203

a w a a and ter Cosim (the wido of Rich rd W gner) , o f tw o a n a his doctors , h vi g lmost completed his - seve nty ﬁfth ye a r . ’ The news of Liszt s de ath w as recei ved with all the deepest concern in the capitals of Europe .

a a w a s a In Engl nd , especi lly, the press un ni mo us in deploring the loss thus inﬂicted upon the music al world and in p aying a sincere tribute of regret to the memory of the depa rted musician . Pa inful though the intelligence of ’ the Abbé s demise must have been to many it is nevertheless gratifying to know that the hearty welcome a ccorded him on the occasion o f his la st visit to Londo n entirely remo ved from his mind the unfa vorable impression m ade — on him by the cool ness amounting to indiffer

m e a ence of his previous reception , or th n forty ye ars ago . The respect and a dmiration generally felt for

L w a s a a s n as w of iszt such th t, soo the ne s

a a a his de th bec me known , telegr ms conveying expressions of condolence re a ched Fra u Wagner from the most exalted personages throughout

the . a u world Her M j esty the " een , who never fails to express her admiration for either virtue

or a a a a a f t lent , gr ciously comm nded be uti ul ’ l aurel wre ath to be deposited on the Abbé s 204 F ranz Lisz t.

as a a a cofﬁn , tribute of her reg rd for the dece sed musician . Adenbur a a has t At g, in Hung ry, meeting jus

a t has t been held , which it been decided to erec a bronze statue to the late Abbe Prince Paul ’ a s on L a has Esterh zy , the of iszt s former p tron , bee n elected chairman of the committee ap pointed to receive subscriptions . Under the auspices of the Grand-Du ke of Saxe-Weimar a fun d is about to be founded in of L of o n des erv memory iszt, in view pr vidi g ing musical pupils of eithe r sex with free schol a rship s . The m an aging board of; tha t fund will reside in the house which Liszt s o long occupied in the little c apital of the duchy Though for ne arly the l a st thirty years of his ’ life it had been Liszt s a mbition to exchange his u nique reputation as a pianist for the ti tle of a a composer, it is highly prob ble th t he will only ’ as a executa nt live in men s memory wonderful , whose chief cl aim to the gratitude of posterity will h ave b een his incomp arable rendering of ’ a a the W gner s compositions , by which he en bled public to become a cquainted which one of the

a a the rea tes t our gre test m estros , if not g , of century . Not th at it would be safe to a ssert a L z t as a t th t , but for is his pos le , the prophet

206 F ranz Lisz t. indeed are the anecdotes of struggling musicians who owe him a debt of gratitude for h aving

m . helped the in their hour of need Indeed , he w as a philanthropist in the bro adest a ccepta

a nd a a of a tion of the word , for the l st qu rter century he al w ays cheerfully gave his gra tuitous a ssistan ce to every work of cha rity that w as

a a a- c rried out , either in Rome , Vienn , Bud Pesth , n or Pa ris . His talent for wo derful successes at one time a roused much j e alousy against him ; b ut a a a a n it is s id th t he never m de enemy , an a ssertio n which will be readily believed when we ta ke into consideration his exquisite benevo le nce and genial temper . His qualities of hea d and he art endeared him to all who were fortu

a a n te enough to be dmitted to his society .

a ma a a Wh tever y h ve been his f ults , they were s o much outweighed by the noble sides of his

a a a r generous n ture , th t he will be gener lly e membered only for the good he did either to art or to his fellow-cre atures A PPEN D IX

Li szT A s A LITTER A TE UR

RL . T . CA AW MARTIN

’ IT w a s not surprismg th at Lis zt s e arly a ssoci ations with the chiefs of the Pa risia n ro manti cists should stimulate his a ctive mi nd in the direction of litera ry pro duction . His epistol ary efforts ha d prob ably m a de him a wa re of his own facility a nd power in other than musical compo s ition a an , there being prob bly more th jest in his a ssertion th at his correspondence with the ’ Countess d Ortigue w as an exercise in the lofty L h had French style . Of such exercises iszt ad

a an d he had a ad n a a no l ck , lre y do e some c su l ’ literary work in connection with “ ( Schlesinger s Ga a a i in n a zette Music le de P r s , the fou d tion of which he ha d ta ken an a ctive p art . During ’ his retirement with the Countess d Agoult at ( 207) 208 F ranz Lisz t.

G n a 1835 a e ev in , however, he beg n to turn his t nt a te ion more seriously to litera ture . In th a t ye a r there appeared in the Ga zette a ch ara cter is tic a a series of ess ys by him , in which , mid the

a an f ulty exuber ce of youthful rhetoric, there were to be found m any signs of a cute intelli

n and a a . ge ce pr ctic l power Under the title ,

a a a a a s De l Situ tion des Artistes , he ppe red

a a im the ch mpion of his cl ss, pointing out how portant a n element the social recognition of a t w as a of art and r ists in the further nce , how beneﬁcial in its turn w as the reaction of art upon society . In p art it w as a philippic against

L and an a a all ouis Philippe , impetuous tt ck upon

him n a rt who with hi dered , not omitting the sh a m a rtists and ignorant press critics of the day . The low state of musical criticism w as a poi nt

he and upon which both felt wrote strongly, u n a rging the ecessity of philosophic criticism , a nd a rguing th at for this work the productive a rtist w as alone qualiﬁed . U nh appily for the

a n an l tter theory , it is not give to m y productive a s a a rti ts to possess the vers tility of Schum nn ,

L . Berlioz , or of iszt himself The criticisms of a rtists upon their a rt are often not less u nstable a nd u ns atisfa ctory th a n those of more ig norant

a n d a s a c for critics ; , rule , it is less difﬁ ult the

2 10 F ranz Lis z t.

of - a youth twenty four, it proves , in striking ’ L a nd fa r- degree , iszt s thoroughness sightedness . In musical circles it n a t urally cre ated a wide spre ad antagonism by no me ans impersonal in its hostility ; only here and there men like Chopin and Berlioz h ailed the essays with a ccla mation . The ess ays On the Position of Artists were by no me ans the sole literary prod uctions d ating “ ’ from this period . The twelve Lettres d une ” Bachelieres a Musique , ddressed to his friends

G S and ~ Heine a nd eorge , , Berlioz , others , were contributed to the Ga zette during his tra vels ’ with the Countess d Agoult ; and “a mo ngst his detached papers were essays on Popula r ” “ ’ m a Editions of I port nt Works , Meyerbeer s ’ Huguenots and the Criticism of Thalberg s ” Compositions . From the commen cement the strongly-m arked personality and m any-sided culture of Liszt had

a m a de themselves felt in style , with respect to which the ch arges of affectation a nd exag

geration were the le a st offensive . Exaggeration there could scarcely fa il to be with a writer of ’ Lisz t s a rdent temperament a nd fertile imagina

a n tion , but there is more evidence of unbridled

s pontaneity than of affectation . In some re Lisz t as a Littéra te ur . 2 11 pe ets it might be possible to trace analogies ’ between Liszt s litera ry style an d his musica l

a style . A kindred a ffluence ch ra cterizes e a ch . — Every idea is a theme for v a riation a subject

the n a for fanta sy . Across ce tr l motive of his

n a a a a se tences , his p r gr phs , his ch pters , he throws an elabora te embroidery of subsidi a ry imaginative work . He does not hesit ate to

a a n a in as on e an repe t ide new words , tr sposes

n a a musical phra se i to new key . He modu l ates in metaphors with no less boldn ess th an

a n an d n n a in h rmo ies , not i freque tly p sses from metaphor to met aphor without eve n the sem bla nce of m odul ation . He will return to the s a me thought or to the same fa ct aga in and

a - n a again as the st rting poi t for n ew excursus . He is a conﬁrmed digres s ionis t it is this per p etual return to the key of the tonic which keeps up the appe a ran ce of un ity .

n n a In poi t of copious ess of style , the met phor wh ich D ante uses of Virgil quell a fonte che sp ande di p a rl ar si l argo ﬁume is not in ap

a a r plicable to Liszt . Ide s e almost redundant

‘ with him ; he is opulent in im a ges ; his s en tenoes often take on a richness little in a ccord a nce with the sobriety of modern prose . If the

a not fﬁ to f ct were unknown , it would be di cult 212 F ranz Lisz t. infer th at his education in style dates from the d ays of George Sand . It is throughout of the idealist type . He wrote prose with the afﬁatus

and had n of the poet , the poetic te dency to elevate a bstra ctions into existe nces . With him it w as a a not be uty, but Be uty ; not sorrow , but

w n G n — and Sorro ; not ge ius , but e ius the thing ,

n and a n s u es somethi g over bove the thi g , the gg

a n tion of a prese nce . Tried by the p ring sta d a a rds of modern liter ry criticism , which do not en courage a writer to seek elevation a t the risk

a are of m king himself ridiculous , there undoubt edly faults to be found . His style is too com monl a n a y w nti g in precision , in condens tion , - - in m atter of factnes s . It has the exaggerated

a a phr sing of commonpl ces, the confusion of a a a a v gueness with sublimity, the el bor te mystic l utterances in which emotio nal writers ﬁnd satis faction . But for the most p art these faults are — on the side of gre atness the unproﬁtable pro

a a a n ot an ducts of r nk luxuri nce , of enfeebled and infertile soil . His excursions into the

a n v gue are not often excursions into the ina e .

a a re a t an n n If his ide s times w ti g in deﬁ ition , it is to be remembered th at it is only a point of light which ca sts a sharply deﬁned sh adow ; the shadow ca st by a la rge luminous surface is

214 F ranz Lisz t.

’ These qu alities of Liszt s writing are cle arly

a in n in m rked the life of Chopi , issued by him

w a s on e n 1852 . The subj ect upo which no one could write with equ a l knowledge . No common tie dre w the Hunga rian and the Pole together in amity ; no two n atures were ever better ’ formed to a ppreci ate e ach other s ﬁnest quali ’ L ’ a a a . ties , to toler te e ch other s we knesses iszt s

n w a s an mi d of wider r ge , more imperious in its

a n and a . rdor, more deﬁ ite in its loves h tes But

a a n in the m tter of rtistic opi ion , Chopin did not yield to him in the strength of his convic

n and L w as a t tio s , when iszt ﬁghting the b t“le of a he n music l progress , fou d in his friend the

a and a a n a s support o“f c lm un lter ble convictio , well a s the efﬁca cious a ssistance which the cre ation of meritorious works brings to a strug

n a can a m a s ow n . gli g c use , when it cl im the its To Liszt the limita tions of Chopin’s work were only an evide nce of the wise reticen ce which

an and limits utter ce to perfect expressions , he practically exp ands in his defe nce Prosper Meri ’ mee s dictum th at the a rtist who e ngraved cer tain Greek medals is the equ al of the Scul ptor of

a a colossus . He w s one of the ﬁrst to recognize ’ a n n ot th t C“ho pin s productio s , though of the a o a n cl ss des euvres de longue h lei e , were z i Lis t a s a L ttéra teur . 2 15

- a of a an d epoch m king in respect music l style , he points out th at a mongst other things we owe to him the extensio n of chords struck together

a en ba tterie a n ew in rpeggio or , system of

a an d an una chrom tic involutions sinuosities, p proached beauty in in strume ntal ﬁ oriture in the ch a rmin g groups of notes th at sing about the

ﬁ an n a -of a melodic gure , u dre mt serious v lue gi ven to unimpressive themes by the origin ality of h armonic progressions a subtler if not a more profound inspiration . But ap art from these

L s aw n a things , iszt in Chopin the represe t tive ’ of a a a . In L n tion l music iszt s opinion , the nation a l ge nius w as not so much to be sought for in a collection of the melodies indige nous

a n a s n a a inﬂu to cou try , in the results of tion l n ences upon some musicia of the ﬁ rst order .

In w cirk s of a a the such composer, he rgued , the peculiar an d predomin ant traits of the na tional geni us will be found more completely developed m a a n ore poetic lly true th n in the crude , i correct , u a a a nd k the ncert in , v gue tremulous s etches of

n l . in a n w as u cultured peop e Chop , ccordi gly , of special i nterest to him as ranking among the ﬁrst musician s w ho h ave thus i ndividualized in themselves the poetic sense of an entire

a — a s a a n tion h ving ccomplished , with respect 216 F ranz Lisz t.

a a L has s a to Pol nd , wh t iszt himself in no m ll n mea sure a cc omplished for Hu ga ry . In this

a no n an d L a a reg rd , if other , Chopi iszt m int in in their respective a chievements the — alliance of their a ncient frie ndship . A large portion of the book may be sa id to be written in exposition of the n ational chara cter of ’ a i a Chopin s music . In de ling w th the Polon ises , Liszt brings a sympathetic insight and pictorial

a power which throws ﬂood of light, not upon

a n the and a a them lone , but upo life ch r cter of the n ation whose tradition they express . A

a n va a has cert i reser tion in f ith , however, to be

a a a m de , in th t the light is something more th n the garish light of common day ; the poetic tendency to the exa lta tio n of a theme is ch ara c teris tically present . Upon the historic fabric

a of an and the h there ﬂ sh lights m y colors , Polis - court li fe takes on an orient al splendor ; the a a ﬁgures th t p ass cross the scene . become heroic in stature and in mood . The chapter is a strik ’ ing illustration of Liszt s power a s an artist in

. a an words He p sses in review , with obvious d a f a elight in the m ssing of rich e fects , the det ils of the Veronese groups which present them selves to his imagi na tion as h e listens to the m m— a of a a us the broc des gold , velvets , d m sked

218 F mnz Lisz t.

n a to the a a in me t is ccorded M zurk s , which a

e of a u and a whol world g iety, coq etry , p ssion ta kes the pl ace of the s tateliness and virility h of the Polon aise . T e unity of m ass is broken u and a a be p , the individu l emerges ; chiv lry

s a a and a a a new come g ll ntry , the wom n t kes importance a s the i nspira tion of the d ance and

The its music . thin veil with which the for malities of rhythmic motion conceal feelin g is ra a e a a a n e d wn sid , reve ling the p lpit ti g lif i n t a below . It s o merely question of galla nts gay and la dies fair ; the real dancers are the

as n and for a p sio s , it is these th t the music

F an . or d sounds the light feet lithe , bright

r - a s but forms, the hythmic time be t sufﬁce ;

t a o has c the wi hin the form l limit, Ch pin e hoed ’ a t s s a nd a and it is he r crie l ughter, these which h i Liszt interprets for t e duller ear . A d gres sion at this point upon Polis h women exhibits

L a a a a and he s iszt in ch r cteristic spect , expend upon them a wealth of analytic power which has n o signs of undue a scetic coldness . If the

a w as a an i the h nd the h nd of incip ent Abbé ,

w a s the a o a t a voice voice of p et , spe king wi h ’ an d a and a poet s fervor p ssion . with subj ection to the witchery of the incomparable Polish w omen which included failings and virtues z r Lis t as a Litté a teur . 219

alike within its scope . The lyric enthusia sm

of and as the writer is infectious , in the previous a n ch pter, life seemed o ly worth living from the

n w of a so poi t of vie the Polon ise , now the Ma zurka usurps its pla ce a s a supreme object f o . existence The feeling is , of course , due to the width of the horizon upon which Liszt

a h bitually looked . He tended to regard comp a r atively unimportant things in their l arger rel a

n and s aw an as t tio s, in the d ces , in he mirrors

a a before which the d ncers p ss , the reﬂection of

a w the comedy, the sh do of the tragedy, of

hum an life .

a a a In de ling with the ch r cter of Chopin , Liszt showed no inconsiderable psychologic in

sight . S o far from being conten t with merely

na a e w as a a n exter l tre tm nt , he lw ys seeki g to reconstruct the man from within . The t a sk w a s an a as L t not e sy one , for, isz himself

- i out had a the a a a po nted , Chopin ch r cteristic Scl v

a n reticence . His e sy candor a d familiari ty by

a or a and no me ns implied conﬁdence fr nkness ,

a an and behind courteous , tr quil , even joyous m anner the real man of m any moods lay hid .

h ha s L Not the less successfully, owever, iszt indicated all that it is necess ary to k now of Chopin to comprehend t he person ality which 220 F ranz Lisz t.

lies behind his work . In some sense the vol ume is the canonization of a man of genius by a t n man of genius . To Liszt Chopin s a ds always as a a n t the ide l rtist , givi g himself wi hout reser

a art a and a a s v tion to his lone , st nding , it were ,

art a a a behind his , pure in spir tion , ﬂ wless in h a t e a . honor , meet priest in House Be utiful It is to be regretted th at when he comes to tre a t ’ of C hopin s mode of pl aying he puts the subject a side on the ground th at the a nalysis would

cause him too gre at pain . The omission is a s one has v a of erious , though he gi en in pl ce critical treatment an exceedingly i nteresting ’ sketch of a gathering in Chopin s room . In the dim light a bout the Pleyel piano are gath

n o ered Hei e , Meyerbeer , Ad lphe Nourrit , Hil

en a Nie mce vicz z ler, Eug e Del croix , , Mickiewic , — George Sand a nd Liszt an audience to which any composer might h ave conﬁded his ﬁnest

inspira tio ns . Of e ach of these the write r brieﬂy

a a a w how rec lls some ch r cteristic, d elling chieﬂy,

a nd G a ever, upon Heine eorge S nd , to both of whom the genius of Chopin and th at of his

biogra pher allied themselves on differe nt sides .

a a a n a a The m tter is lw ys interesti g , often v lu ble ,

but the elaborate frame l a cks the portrait . If a ny man by his words could h ave enabled us to

E" UALLY imposing in style and of more general L ’ interest, though less known , is iszt s book on a the Gipsies . Hung ry is in s ome sense the

Cyga ny paradise . Possibly s ome subtle sym p athy derived from the p a st when the Magyars

an and an too were w derers str gers in Europe ,

w a a and a at dre M gy rs Cyg ny together ; but, a n a a a a y r te , the Hung ri ns h ve been the only n ation in Europe who have not considered the gipsies more or less outside the p ale of hum anity . The Bohemian s h ave pl ayed and sung in Hun

a a as g ry the wild melodies of their r ce , freely a s the rh apsodists are said to h ave sung in

Greece the Homeric poems . In p al ace and ’ pea sant s hut alike their strains h ave been wel

and L z a a n in come , is t sh red the popul r feeli g no ordin ary degree . His imagination w a s kin dled a t at a in e rlies youth R iding , by their wild ness and mystery ; the copper visages h aunted him an d w as a a a . he f scin ted by their d ncing

a and a and rovok irs morous songs , their lithe p

da su a a and e ing nces , their dden rriv ls furtiv ( 222) Lis z t a s a Littéra teur . 223

i ﬂights . On h s re turn to Hunga ry he renewed

a out his e rly impressions , seeking the gipsies in

a s their h unts , leeping with them in the open a ir a n n w , pl yi g with their children , conversi g ith

a s and n r their le der , listeni g to thei music by ’ u the glo w of c amp ﬁres . The composer s pop larit w as a s and on a y soon est bli hed , the occ sion of his secon d return they gave an elaborate fete

n o a n in a n in his ho or, the rchestr performi g o ak- na n in wood illumi ted , whe the night closed , by a dozen symme trica lly disposed tar-b arrels w hich sent their ﬂames s traight up like cylinders i of n . w a t K ow L red iro At Mosco , , in ittle

a at a a t a a and Russi , Buch rest, J ssy , in Sp in

L n of elsewhere , iszt extended his k owledge

an d n has a a gipsy life , these experie ces he n rr ted with considera ble power and in his el a bora te pictorial style . There is no side of gipsy life o n which Liszt has not touched ; an d though the work is lacking in conde nsation and cold

a a is a s scientiﬁc ccur cy, it study with ome pre

tension to completeness . Its interest is gre atest in connection with ’ Liszt s ow n compositions . While with most n ation s there has been a crystallization of nation al traditio n s into a n epic form suited to

of a had the genius the country, the gipsies h ve F ra nz Lis z t.

a o and c the no tr diti n no epi of n ormal type . Jus tifying his new use of the word by a Hege

a a L a at li n comment ry , iszt rgued th the gipsy epic would be foun d in a colle ction of their

a a a co- a as sc ttered music l fr gments, ordin ted so

to give them reciprocal value . He therefore proceeded a t once to give pra ctical effect to his

a o conception . He c refully collected their mel

n a r dies , preserving their unwo ted interv ls , thei

a and a multiform luxuri nce of rhythm , the decor tive h abit of treating melody which m ade the

Bohemian virtuosi m as ters of musical a rabesque . The in struments which were of chief import an ce in their music were the violi n and the zymbala ; and though the pian o could not repro

rnordant o of e it w as duce the s nority th se , clearly the instrument bes t ﬁtted to reproduce

the orchestra of the nomads . Then came the t and arran ement the ta sk of selec ion g y revision

and a a a and as rec sting of the music l fr gments ,

a a the a a a the dmir ble results , Hung ri n Rh psodies

m a were produced . The ter Rh psody w as ap

m the a and plied to the to express epic spect , a a m a the term Hung ri n e ployed in pl ce of gipsy, because the M agyars have practically adopted

the gipsies as their national musicians . By

22 6 F ranz Lisz t.

derl a a y , multiplying ppreci tive ﬁgures . They a re a of a dan butterﬂies, they resemble the le ps

n are s of a a se se , they bouquet notes , st rry toms

air a a dispersed in the like luminous pollen ,

a a a a am and the fr gr nt r in , fo snowy glistening ,

a of a la a in an a a and f ll neck ce of pe rls op l . v se , the like . It is the Cygan in Lis zt which spea k s here with characteristic orientalism . The sections de aling with Bohemian musi cians and music are almost necessarily the most interesting of the volum e . Apart from the a a a a a s u music l rel tion , however, so dmir ble t dy a s th at of the attempt to s ubject the Bohemian youth Jozy to the civilizing inﬂuences of ordi

a a has n a a n ry music l tuition disti ct liter ry v lue , a nd even the more diﬂ us e ch apters of the book h have their redeeming suggestiveness . Thus t e section on the Jews w as an excrescence which all a n might , for it concerns the gipsies h ve bee ﬁttingly cut away ; but it is impossible not to recognize the touches of a h and of more th an h u su al power . Upon m any points which he as — taken up like those of the gipsies in European

art of and t , the origin the gipsies , the his oric — u a notices much more might , of co rse , h ve

been said which Liszt has omitted . But; the Lisz t as a Littérate ur . 227

of a all not chief merit the book is , fter , so much a matter of antiquarian fulness and exactness as its indirect exhibition of the person ality of the author . Here aga in the picturesque ﬁgure of Lis zt starts from the p age . L IS ZT’S CH IEF COMP S ITI O ON S .

. T I ORCHES RAL . — 1 . an n . 2 . F a n . 0 rigina l. D te Sympho y ust Sympho y ’

3 Tw o r Lenaus a . 4 . . Episodes f om F ust Twel ve Sym ’ n c — Ce n n n la n a n a pho i Poems qu o e te d sur mo t g e , T sso

a a F e s tklan e Les Preludes , Orpheus , Prometheus , M zepp , g , ' i un n a a a H unnenschla cht Hero de f ebre , Hu g ri , H mlet , , Die - a . 5 a nd . . Ide le . Schiller Goethe Fest Vorspiel 6 Goethe - - a ldi un . a a Fest M rsch . 7 . Hu g gs M arsch 8 . P triotic M rch .

9 le - Kiins t r . n e . a a . Arra F est Zug 10 . G ude mus Igitur g — . 1 c a . 1 . c ments 1 . Four S hubert M rches 2 Five S hubert

n . 1 . 14 . un So gs 3 Six Hunga rian Rh apsodies . Three H

a an a . g ri M rches , etc

II . PIANOF ORTE AND ORCHESTRA . — - i i 1 n in ﬂat. 2 n n . E . i . 0 r g na l. Co certo Co certo“A - — ments . 4 . an a a o n 3 . dten a Arra n e n To T nz . g F t si Rui s

z n a n Mel i . n . 5 . a n a a n a 6 of Athe s F t si o Hu g ri od es . ’ ’

i . na . Schubert s Fanta sia n C 7 . Weber s Polo ise

III . PIANOF ORTE .

’ i — 1 d x u ion a n n an — . é éc t 0 rig na l. Etudes tr sce d te Pre

u a a a a n a l dio , P ys ge , M zepp , Feux Follet , Visio , Eroic , Wilde - a R ecordanz a a n da a n . 2 . J gd , , H rmo ies Soir , Ch sse eige

a n e t — n a n a a H rmo ies Poétiques religieuses I voc tio , Ave M ri ,

n n an la n Bé édictio de Dieu d s solitude , Pe sée des Morts , ’ ' a n nfa n a s on n a P ter Noster , Hym e de l e t réveil , Fu ér illes , ’

n an a an d Amour . 3 . An Miserere , A d te l grimoso , C tique ( 228 )

230 F ranz L isz t.

IV . ORGAN .

1 n an . 2 . n n and Ma . A d te religioso I troductio Fugue g

a n n . 3 . ra n . 4 F a n niﬁcat from D te Sympho y O pro obis .

on 5 . h n t a si c a nd Fugue Le Prophete C opi Preludes .

a n n and . 6 . B ch I troductio Fugue , etc

O . V . V CAL

— 2 a 1 . . . . . or a tori os . Christus St Eliz beth

Ma ss es Ps a lms etc. 1 . a S ole nnis an in . , , Miss ( Gr er) D - a i - n a an in E ﬂat . 2 . n C n . 4 . a 2 . Hu g ri M ss mi or Miss - 5 . . 6 . n K n Choralis in A minor . Requiem Neu irche chor

es an e . G g , etc — - Ca nta ta s etc . 1 . S acular n . 2 . Cho , Zur Feier Beethove s ’ - 3 . ruses to Herder s Prometheus . Goethe Fest Album .

a t . 5 . The a . 6 . . 4 . W r burg Lieder Bells of Str sburg St

Cecilia . ’ - F or Men s Voices . n S ta ndchen n Verei slied , , Wir Si d n n G ehar nichte a n n icht Mumie , Lieder , Sold te lied , Die Alte

a n S a aten r iin an na c e s tlied S ge g , der G g um Mitter ht , F , n D as D us tre Un a n VVi Gottes ist der Orie t , , Meer , ter lle p feln Rheinw e inlied S tudentlied An Kiins tler , , , Reiterlied , die , - a n D a s n Wa s Fest Chor , Festges g , Lied der Begeisteru g , ’ n a an a ist des Deutsche V terl d Weim r s Volkslied . — ’ F or S in le Voice a nd Pia no o te . n n g f r Mig o s Lied , Es w ar e in K n und o ig , Der die vom Himmel bist , Freudvoll n ie n U a n n Leidvoll , Wir Sei Brod , eber lle Gipfel ist Ruh , ' na Al en a er Der Fischerk be , Der Hirt , Der p j g , Die Lorelei , n n n n Am Rhei , Vergiftet si d mei Lieder , Du bist wie ei e ’ n a n t n auf Ein Blume , A f gs woll ich , Morge s steh ich ,

’ F ichtenbaum n a n - an e , Comme t dis ie t ils , " u d j dors , S il est ’ nu a an a n n an a a n ch rm t g zo , E f t si j et is Roi , Es R usche die ’ n Wo n n a a Wi de , weilt er , Nimm ei e Str hl , Schwebe bl ues C hief Comp ositions . 31

a V ater ruft An iolin dal n n K n uge , Die g , g bio do cri , li g leise ,

e in n a n S tra us slein Es muss Wu derb res Sei , Mutter Gottes , a n n In L sst mich ruhe , Wie Si gt die Lerche , Liebeslust ,

o n n N onne nw erth Ju end lii ck Ich m chte hi gehe , , g g , Wieder mocht ich dir b e e nen a nd B utt c , g g , Blume , Ich liebe di h ,

Wa ssorros e Ich S c n Die Stille . heide , Die drei Zigeu er , Lebe “f Wa s todte a chti all du ohl , Liebe Sei , Die N g , Bist , Gebet ,

n A n Edlitam Und S F is chers tochter S ei Ei st , , prich , Die , ’ G lucklichte n von a n Il m a imait Still , Der , Ihr Glocke M rli g , ’ a n o e n w ar S on t t , H h Liebe , Gestorbe ich , O lieb , Three ’ n o f a ch a c k ann d Arc au ets Petr r , Die M ht der Musi , Je e

a a . bucher , Ave M ris Stell

Y K VI . LITERAR WOR S — 1 . la n a n at a 2 De Fo d tio Goethe Weim r .

of ho in Lohengri n et Ta nhaus er ( 185 1 ) . 3 . Life C p ’

5 . n 4 . Music of the Gipsies Field s Noctur es

n 7 . n 6 . Robert Fra z Verschiede e Auf

a in a a a u nd in n s tze der G zette Music le de P ris , der Neue ’

t u 8 . ann a an Zeitschrif fur M sik . Schum s Musik lische H s ’ - und Leben s Regeln . L IS ZT’S PR IN IPA L PUPIL S C .

V ON LO Minin en . HANS BU W , g I CARL TAUS G . Z FRAN BENDEL .

V ON BR ONS ART an . HANS , H over K IN RTH L DWO w . CARL , Mosco

WINTER B R R . X E G E . ALE ANDER , St Petersburg E K JULIUS K UB E . O O Z B THE D RE RAT EN ERGER . B F L H ’ ‘ RO ERT P UG AUPI .

FREDERICK ALTSCHUL . E ILI NICH OLAS N S S OF F .

BAE R MANN n . CARL , Mu ich

O K S a . DI NYS PRUC NER , tuttg rt B FERDINAND SCHREI ER .

LOUIS ROTH F ELD .

TPA S S P T . J . S BUDA ES E ITERT GE ORGE L .

JULIUS RICHTER .

O UNG MANN a . L UIS J , Weim r

O N e w k . WILLIAM MAS N , Yor

MAX . PINNER , New York

ZAR EMBS KY s . JULES , Brussel

B . G . SGAM ATI , Rome

O . CARL LIPPI , Rome

F D LANG A AR D n a . SIEG RIE , De m rk

CARL POHLIG .

ARTHUR FRIEDH EIM .

K . L . MARE , Limberg

Deceas ed .