Dear Friend,
I answer at once your questions: (1) How shall the new pianoforte score of Tannhäuser be announced? "Second edition, with the third act revised."
With regard to sending me the pianoforte scores, I beg X. to let me have also the Flying Dutchman. In return I would make the opera known as much as possible. Liszt, too, will give it this year at Weimar; perhaps I shall have it performed even here in Zurich. The publisher can derive nothing but benefit from this. If he does not see his way to that, he may charge me at bookseller's price — fifty per cent. discount. So I expect Rienzi, Flying Dutchman, and Tannhäuser.
(2) The "three grand-opera poems" must surely be out in Germany, as they are already to be had here. No doubt you will already have been able to see to Devrient, also to R.?
(3) I have sent exact instructions to Brendel concerning the two letters (to him and to Liszt). Both must be published together, as a detached pamphlet. But I really do not know if you have yet received the letter from Liszt. You tell me nothing about it. If Liszt is dilatory, I'll look after it myself.
(I have given Brendel a good blowing up on account of the fresh notice from "A. H. aus Zürich." However, in defence, he pleads your recommendation of such trivialities. I have explained to Brendel that nothing — no, nothing of this kind — must ever appear again in his paper. B. has given his promise to that effect.)
(4) I shall certainly not give the concert. It is therefore unnecessary to see about the Lohengrin scenes. I therefore repeat: is it not better now to stop the whole score-scribbling? Why increase useless expenses? Whoever cares to have the score completed for his pleasure, let him do so. I can no longer make any use of it; I heartily regret the money already thrown away on it. After the long delay of this copying, I know of nothing better than to make the useless expenses less. But will you not soon let me know what the whole damage is? On the other hand, I insist on the Tannhäuser for myself.
(5) My admiration for Härtels' courageous devotion has somewhat diminished since I learnt that they do not intend, as stated at first, to engrave the score, but merely to print it. It is, however, a matter of indifference to me in what way my Lohengrin attains to its paper monumentality. If they have such good readers at Leipzig, we might leave it to be corrected there. I can reserve to myself the right of adding, when the printing is completed, an errata list, should such be necessary.
Now about your godfather affair. If you think me good for that purpose — well, take me. I will willingly assist, and K. is really the right person to represent me. I should like to hear your programme respecting this boy's education. Will you inoculate him with the poison of our bringing up, and so leave it to chance whether he shall spit out the poison, or whether it shall bring him to ruin? I do not ask this jokingly. We have the future in our hands. Shall we be such abject cowards as to expose our children to the same fatal course which (let us be frank) has made us incapable, half-and-half, and bad? We have only arrived at truth at a period of our lives when we have already become incapable of deriving any profit from it.
Shall this — even supposing the most fortunate case — also be the lot of our children? I will discuss the matter more thoroughly another time. I first await, as I said above, your programme.
That you allow yourself (or rather are driven) not to give offence to R. in this matter, does not please me. I should have thought that with K. (in my place), Emilie, Rühlmann, and a fine lady, the ambition of your wife would have been satisfied. Here, here, dear friend, must be shown whether we really wish to be free in our house and in our family!
The day before yesterday I conducted the Egmont music and the 8th Symphony. The performance was — do not laugh, for I know what I am talking about — excellent. I suffered, however, from great relaxation of the nerves. Schöneck, the director of the theatre here, young, very talented, extremely gifted as a conductor, and an uncommonly lively and fiery fellow, is worrying me to have the Flying Dutchman for his benefit (in March). I am already almost giving way, as yesterday I had to confess that the actors were really good, and that the Dutchman himself would have a really good interpreter. The director promises to accomplish the most inconceivable things in the matter of decorations. The orchestra would recruit itself to a decent size by volunteers. The only thing in the way is my longing after rest, and my general aversion to everything connected with our theatre and public. But I am pressed on all sides, so shall leave the decision to Heaven.
Hark! See friend Fischer at once; give him best greetings from me, and ask him if he will venture to get for himself the loan of the complete parts, etc., of the Flying Dutchman for three months from L. I will be responsible for the punctual return of the same, and so on. If Fischer can get the things, and without compromising me as seeking a favour from L., this shall decide the matter. I will not put the people here to expense in having the parts copied; besides, I shall thus hold in my hands the power of withdrawing the opera if I see that it is not going well. This I cannot do if the parts are copied here by order of the management. So let Fischer answer quickly. If he consents, and thus compels me, everything will come in time if sent by express-mail.
But send me quickly through the post the pianoforte scores, etc. I am now so nervously impatient in everything, even in trifling matters, that it is not without intention I make this request.
Herwegh was mad about the last Beethoven performance, and straightway declared that it was divine. I recommend to you and to K. my new friend, the English poet Shelley. There exists only one German translation of his works, by Seybt, which you must get. He and his friend Byron together make up one complete and noble man.
You will soon hear that I am hard at work on the Nibelungen poem; it is my only salvation. Farewell; greetings at home, and to the R.'s.
Your
R. W.
53 (!) December, '51.
(I shall continue in the coup d'état month until the desired 1852 really comes.)
Source: Richard Wagner's Letters to His Dresden Friends, Theodor Uhlig, Wilhelm Fischer, and Ferdinand Heine, trans. J. S. Shedlock (Scribner & Welford, 1890), No. 53