Dear Herr Müller,
How indignant and annoyed you must be with me is something I can all too readily imagine; and, in truth, I cannot blame you for it. You will accuse me of having acted deceitfully towards you, as my teacher, and of having insulted you in the most grievous fashion, in order to flatter my own self-conceit. But you may be assured that in many respects the situation is other than you suppose. Let me explain: - about 9 months ago I made the acquaintance of the local director of music, Herr Dorn, and I have to say that he has shown himself a most well-meaning friend towards me. Amongst other things he asked me whether I should like to have some of my music performed, suggesting that I might attempt an orchestral composition, - an idea which led me in my youthful enthusiasm to knock together this overture. I did not dare show it to you, because I thought that, as my teacher, you would make fun of me because of it; and although Herr Dorn did just that, he none the less promised to perform the work, should a suitable opportunity arise, so that I could hear what it really sounded like. Such an opportunity, however, did not present itself, and so I forgot about the overture, together with all my other orchestral scribblings, and had not even seen Herr Dorn since last summer; then, quite recently, he sent word via my sister, asking whether I should like to hear my overture performed this Christmas. So surprised was I by this that, unfortunately, I did not think of asking you, but took my overture post-haste to Herr Dorn - and not until yesterday did it occur to me how unfairly I had acted towards you, my teacher, and how imprudently towards myself. But there was not enough time to make good my mistake. All I can do now is to ask you most sincerely for your forgiveness, and hope that you will regard what has happened not as an intentional slight on my part but rather as an act of thoughtlessness; the whole thing should be seen as a youthful transgression which does not, however, merit serious punishment. You may be assured that the only thing this performance can teach me is not to attempt anything similar for at least another twelve months. Moreover, I am relying upon the fact that no one in the audience knows my name, so that the whole affair will pass off without attracting attention, as indeed it deserves to do. Be assured of my continuing and most affectionate obedience, and please forget this act of folly on my part: the best Christmas present you could give me would be your sincere forgiveness.
Your
grateful pupil
Richard Wagner
Source: Selected Letters of Richard Wagner, trans. and ed. Stewart Spencer and Barry Millington (W. W. Norton & Company, 1988), No. 2