Sunday, February 27:
Letters to Claire and Judith. Sudden arrival of Heinrich Porges, who tells us many ridiculous things about musical conditions in Munich. Tannhäuser under the “bungler” Wüllner is said to have been utterly unrecognizable.
Since R. was a trifle vexed, he says, “Music making makes everyone either stupid or malicious.” Very nice letter from Eberle, the rehearsal manager in Berlin, who voices his annoyance over the “lack of energy” of the singers in Berlin. R. says he is the type of German musician, fanatical and pedantic, rude, often drunk, who earns everybody’s hatred with his importunate manner — importunate, however, only for the sake of the cause.
The three of us go for a walk. In the evening H. Porges reads us his essay about Lohengrin, which contains many very good things. (Wonderful spring weather.)