Franz Liszt

public, are the ones in which his virtuosity flourished. To-day we are inclined to mock at the mere mention of Liszt the virtuoso-we have heard far too much of his achievements, achievements behind

wever much it was attempted to patch them the pieces would not quite fit. Liszt struck the death-blow to unemoti

from December, 1843, to February of the following year, conducted eight successful concerts in Wei

ch he topsy-turvied traditions and roused Weimar from the lethargy into which it had fallen with the

repulsive to him, but that she fairly sputtered spirituality. Also that she wrote an article about the Sixtine Chapel for the Revu

e, since he still had some musical problems to solve. First of all, he turned to his legend of the Holy Elizabeth, completing that; then Der Sonnen-Hymnus des heiligen Franziskus von Assisi was written, to say nothing of

Nerenz there was Frau von Schwarz, who attracted Liszt. She boasted friendship with Garibaldi, and her salon was a meeting-place of the intellectual multitude. Liszt seems to have been king pin everywhere, and it is refreshing to read the curt, unsentimental impression of him retailed by Gregorovius: "I have met Liszt," wrote the latter; "remarkable, demoniac appearance

hurch festivals and was affected by their glamo

e Holy Elizabeth was completed by August 10, 1862, and with it he had finished the greater part of his work a

ister, Emile Ollivier, died. Liszt turned to religion and to his art for consolation; he slaved away at the Christus oratorio and wrote two psalms and the instrumental Evocatio in de

ed several rooms. These new lodgings enchant him. Situated on the Monte Mario, the site commanded a view of Rome and the Campagna, the Albano Mountains and the River Tiber. So Signor Commendatore Liszt, the friend of Padre Theiner, is living in a cloister and the religious germs begin

orgel-Lyrik. The piano was at that time not an Italian object of furniture, and in the churches they still served up operatic music with the thinnest religious

yed with him about half an hour, during which time the pianist had played for him on the harmonium and on the little working piano. After that the Pope had spoken earnestl

ew days later the Pope granted him an audience in the Vat

ch he voices his religious sentiments, and hopes

cing tone which he could coax out of the keys" aroused his wrath. He asks, is he never to be taken more seriously than as a pianist, is he not worthy of recognition as a musician, a composer? On the other hand, nothing flattered him as much as when an Amsterda

ia, Waldesrauschen, Gnomenreigen, the two legends, Die Vogelpredigt and Der heilige Franz von Paula auf den Wogen schreitend; then the organ variations on t

August and journeyed first to St. Tropez to visit his daughter's grave; then to Karlsruhe. After this he went to Munich and visited Hans and Cosima von Bülow on the way to Weimar. Finally a trip to Paris to see his ag

surprise of many, on April 25, Liszt took minor orders of priesthood, forsook the Cloister an

he carried his abbé's socks in his pockets.... Now he wears the cloaklet of the abbé, lives in the Vatican, and, as Schl?zer tells me, is happy and healthy. This is the e

fluence which asserted itself on Liszt the act seems to have been an

paper some of the wonderful things which were spooking about in his head. And the public? Well, it regretted that

nt of the Rakoczy March and the Divine Comedy. He returned to Rome and learned that his friend Ho

ymphony in Rome-and the natives found it "inspired but formless"-he went to Paris to witness a performance of his Mass. Report had preceded him that he was physically a wreck, and he delighte

stus oratorio and began work on the arrangements of the Beethoven quartets. He soon found that he had attacked an impossible task. "I failed where

louds of dust in Rome, the Papal secular power was petering out, and in consequence Liszt, who hated politics, was compelled to change his residence again, moving this tim

Wagner. After a short stay at Munich, with Cosima and Hans von Bülow, he found himself once more in Rome and was allowed a few months of rest. Besides the Hungarian Mass he composed this year a Funeral March on the occasion of Maximilian of Mexico's

image; then to the city of Liszt's patron saint, Assisi, and from there to Loreto. When Liszt re-entered Rome he found the social life so exigent that he was driven to the stillness of the Campagna, and lived for some time in the Villa d'Este. This-1868-was his last year at Rome, for the middle of Ja

e Requiem dedicated to the memory of his deceased mother and his two children, Daniel and Blandine; then three ch

aking higher orders came to nothing. Was the Church after all a disappointment to him? One recalls his childish delight whe

ident of the Landes Musikakademie in 1873. This gave Li

ined with Liszt at Weimar. He was very lovable, made up to me and hoped at parting that I would give him my confidence. This would be very difficult, as we have not one point in common. He has grown very old; his face is all wrinkled; yet his animation is very attractive. The Countess Tolstoy told me yesterday that

church and would have become a Franciscan; It is in error that I am accused of becoming a 'frivolous Abbé' because of exte

le-in the one a bed and a writing-desk, and the second one, his reception and class-room, held a grand piano. Some o

seven. His pupils would drop in to greet him and be dismissed kindly with a cigar. After a second breakfast he attended early mass in the

r this meal Liszt returned to his quarters and rested. Only on every other day he taught. The pupil played the composition of his own choice and Liszt's criticisms would follow. Muddy playing drove him frantic, and he often told his pupils to "wash their di

and the crossing left hand struck false notes repeatedly. He played the piece to the end, and th

tess Reviczy-to whom the Fifth Rhapsody is dedicated-and several barons and artists-Alma Tadema among the latter. Depend upon it, wherever Liszt pitched his tent there were s

cess Wittgenstein and sup with her. This meal consisted principally of ham,

Valle dell' Inferno. Here under the Tasso oak Liszt spoke of the life of the great poet and compared his own fate to that of Tasso. "They will not carry me in triumph across

is Atelier

with lire and the other one with soldi every morning. And Liszt always strewed about the silv

contented themselves with envying Liszt, old Rossini tried to turn the incident to his own advantage. He begged Liszt to use his influence in securing the admission of fe

sed much gossip at the time. It was even reported

moral man, namely, that the little Von Bülow-Cosima-Wagner affair did not please Papa Liszt at all. Truce was patched up only i

from above; Frau L. almost murdered him with a big laurel wreath! But the Romans criticised the music severely as being formless. There is inspiration in it, but it does not reach(?!). Liszt left for Paris. The day before his departure I b