Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of November 17, 1875

Overview

The third orchestral rehearsal left a deep, almost inexpressible impression on me, as if the work were revealing its force more fully each time. In the evening Lenbach and Makart came to say farewell before their journey to Egypt, and Semper, though worn and aged, grew wonderfully animated in a discussion of Michelangelo and the making of a new artistic world.

Content

Wednesday, November 17:

Third orchestra rehearsal! The work makes an indescribable impression on me. Several visitors; in the evening Lenbach and Makart to say goodbye (they are going to Egypt), and Semper, very tired and old, but splendidly vigorous when we start to talk of Michelangelo, who had summoned up "figures from Nirvana"; he said Michelangelo had created a new world from the dissection of the dead (the ancient world), living figures which nevertheless are not part of life! He is far greater than Phidias, Semper says.