Wednesday, February 26:
R. had a better night, though not entirely a good one. I feel as if the heavens have reopened when I hear his sounds, the only music in the world for me! R. laughs and says he does not know what to make of it: when I went away, music abandoned him entirely, but now he has his head full of themes again!
In the evening we are unfortunately not alone. Frau Jager brings us some news from Vienna: the Emperor has commanded a performance of the whole cycle for as early as next March. Amusing, on the other hand, is the episode between A. Rubinstein and Herr v. Hülsen. We take refuge in whist. After that, however, R. and I are alone together for a while. (The “swan”!)