Wednesday, August 28:
R. slept well and works. At lunch with friend Feustel he has a discussion about the law on the socialists, which our friend thinks a good one. After lunch R. tells me he has found a melody which pleased him very much, but it was too broad for Kundry’s words; he was considering writing new words for it when suddenly a counter-melody occurred to him, and thus he now has what he wanted: the orchestra would get the broad melody, which here expresses the emotions, while she has the theme for her hurried words.
An alarming letter from K. Klindworth, who tells me Hans is again in danger of losing all his savings! Difficulty in controlling my fears. Wrote very seriously to Lulu. Arrival of the chickens, peacocks, pheasants, etc., the surprise R. had prepared for me, as he says; since the aviary is not yet finished, they cannot yet be seen, but I hear one of them giving the trombone call from the second act of Lohengrin. In its fear it also literally spoke, cried, “Owl! Owl!” Children on the roof of the chicken house, singing, “Oh, how happy I am in the evening,” as R. and I and my father pass by.
In the evening the Wolzogens and Frau Jager; my father plays us Beethoven’s E Major Sonata and his own Orpheus. Beautiful impressions. R. again praises the noble poetic conception in Orpheus.