Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of September 17, 1873

Overview

R. spends the morning teaching copyists how to correct, while she has her sittings. Letters arrive from Dr. Hemsen, Dr. Coerper, and even a gentleman in Stettin, all signaling different forms of interest in Bayreuth, though some are tied to concert schemes. In the evening they read about runes in Uhland, and R. is delighted to discover that the sword name he chose had an unexpected magical resonance. The day mixes practical work with small literary pleasures and a growing sense of the undertaking’s wider reach.

Content

Wednesday, September 17:

R. spends the morning teaching the copyists how to correct. For me, sittings. Nice letter from Dr. Hemsen, who has the task of bringing the Bayreuth undertaking to the attention of the King of Wurttemberg. Dr. Coerper also writes, wanting concerts. A gentleman in Stettin wants concerts too, in order to be able to send a Herr Kossmely to the performances here.

In the evening read Uhland, the section about runes. When I read that, in addition to Thurs, Noth was also a magic symbol, R. exclaims, “Then I made a very good choice with the name for my sword I did not know that.”