and it may «'ell be doubted whether liis essay on the
Symphonic Poems, an admiral)le joiece of analysis as
it is, did not do more harm than good as far as
popularity was concerned. Wagner was the scape-
goat of the German press, and any cause he advo-
c<ated became by that means a red rag for the
journalistic bull to butt at.
What Wagner could do and did for Liszt was of
an infinitely higher order : it was of the psycho-
logical intangible kind. Wagner made Liszt the
noble artistic figiu'e we have known in these latter
years. As to this point much controversy has
recently been going on between their respectip
disciples, who are full of that unitual jealousy and
animosity which never seems to have entered the
minds of the masters themselves. The Liszt party
are fond of asserting that the idea of a poetic basis
for music, which is at the bottom of modern art
reform, was in the mind of Liszt long before Wagner
formulated it into a system. They go further than
tliis, and state that ^^'^agner actually borrowed some
of his melodies from jiis fi'iend, in witness of which
they cite the following authentic story. At a
rehearsal of the Valki/ric in 18T6, which Liszt
attended, Wagner, in the second act where Sieglinde
says ' Kelu'te der Vater nun heim ." suddenly touched
iiis arm and whispered, " Papa, liere comes a theme
which I have stolen from you.' ' Very well,' replied
Liszt, ' then people at least will listen to it.' The
theme occurs at the beginning of the 'Faust' Sym-
phony, and the identity is undeniable, but the ques-
tion remains, — Would Liszt, in the first instance,
have conceived such a melody had he not drawn his
inspiration more or less indirectly from Wagner's
works ? It is quite true that Liszt in a vague way
felt from the beginning that desire for poetic in-
spiration, as embodied in nuisic, which induced
Beethoven to wed Schiller's words to the final move-
ment of his ninth symphony, and which would have
made a piece of programme music pui-e and simple
of his tenth symphony, as the remaining sketches
are sufficient to show. Schumann attached titles to
his short pianoforte pieces, as Couperin had done
before him, and as Liszt did after him, or simul-
taneously with him ; but between this and making
the ' poetic idea ' the vital principle of formal
development, there is a vast gulf which Wagner was
the first to bridge over. Compare Liszt's ' Anntes
de Pelerinage ' with his ' Tasso,' or any of the sym-
phonic poems, and you will see the difference between
indefinite desire and conscious pm-pose.
Altogether Liszt's artistic morale was raised and
purified by contact with the pure flame which burnt
in the breast of Wagner. His nature no doubt was
nobly designed, but lie had been brought up in bad
surroLmdings. The virtuoso's platform at the be-
ginning of this century was not the place where a
liigli artistic purpose could be carried through with
safety ; a certain amount of insincerity, of clap-trap,
— to speak plainly, of humbug, — was absolutely neces-
sary for success. Beethoven, if tolerated at all, had
to be ' improved ' upon, and Liszt did so ' improve '
upon him, to his subsequent regret ; improvisations
on a theme ' selected by one of the audience,' had
to be played — in brief, concessions had to be made.
This attitude of yielding to the popular taste had
to some extent become habitual to Liszt, and he
expected that his great friend would follow his
example. The following sketch of a programme
which he mapped out for 'Vagner will sufficientlv
illustrate the point. In a letter without date, but
which evidently belongs to the summer of 1849, we
read as follows : —
L ' To give RiviK:i during the winter of 1850 at
the Paris Opera, whence it will take its flight to all
the theatres of Germany, and perhaps of Italy. For
Europe wants an opera which, for our new revolu-
tionary epoch, will be what La Muette dc Portki
was for the July revolution, and Rknzi is conceived
and written for those conditions. If you succeed in
introducing into it a slight element of relief, were it
only by means of stage machinery, or of the ballet,
success is certain.'
2. ' To write a new work for the winter of ' 51 in
collaboration with Vaez and A. Royer, who know
all the mysteries of success. In the interval you
cannot do better than take a good position in the
musical press. Forgive me for this suggestion, ami
manage so that you are not of necessity placed in a
hostile position towards things and people likely to
bar your road to success and fame. A truce to
political commonplaces, socialistic stuff, and per-
sonal hatreds ! On the other hand, good courage,
strong patience, and flaming fire, which latter it will
not be difficult for you to provide, with the vol-
canoes you have in your brain ! '
At the end of the same letter there occurs a still
more startling proposal, which it must have gone
to poor IMadame Wagner's heart to copy for the
printers. She indeed has evidently not been able
to finish the last sentence which dies away in a
significant line of dots: —
'The admirable score oi Lohengrin ha.s interested
me profoundly ; nevertjieless I fear at the perfor-
mance the ■■iuperhleal colour which you have main-
tained throughout. Perhaps you will think me an
awful Philistine, dear friend, but I cannot help it,
and my sincere friendship for you may authorise me
to tell you. . . . '
That a man who held up the writing of a French
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WAGNER AND LISZT IN THEIK CORRESPONDENCE
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