Dear Fischer,
I really thought you could bear a cuff better than your touchy reply seems to show. I am sorry that you took the few words to Heine in a more offensive sense than they were meant. It is self-evident that we cannot be of one mind in everything; and that you did not understand my intention with the Guide to Tannhäuser could not but become clear to me, in that you regarded it altogether as a stupid stroke of work. But what of that? You are quite right — one single conversation would bring us to a better understanding, even on such matters, than all our occasional scribbling! There is, however, no doubt between us as to the chief matter! So forgive me!
Under the painful impression of the news of Uhlig's death, I cannot say anything more to-day than what I am compelled to from business considerations.
You will have received my lines of January 2nd, and thereby the matter of the scores will have become perfectly clear to you. I am writing at once to Liszt about the second score, in which last year I considerably remodelled the Overture (especially the concluding section), and, in correspondence therewith, the ending of the last finale. Meanwhile, it would be well to see if perchance this score is at Uhlig's. Moreover, I will send to-day for the (theatre) score here. If the change is properly entered, I will send off this copy by post to you this very day; so that, if the copy supposed to be at Weimar (but certainly delayed) does not yet come, the Overture and the ending of the last Act can still be set right by the score from here. As Breslau has been waiting for a long time, I advise you, as soon as one score has been revised in other respects, to send it off at once, and at the same time tell them that all the parts may be copied out by it, except the Overture and the instrumental postlude of the last finale (from page 409 onwards). Cut both these out of the score, and then send them on as soon as they are corrected. But Schwerin, likewise, must be attended to very quickly. That L. has caused me terrible confusion!!
Further!! If you are willing to take into your hands all my things now lying in Uhlig's house, and to undertake various commissions for me respecting revision and sending off of scores, nothing could be more welcome to me. Formerly, I wished to spare you this — Heaven witness!! The demand for scores will only last about a year longer; then Lohengrin will be obtainable through Härtels.
So if you will, receive beforehand my best thanks and my congratulations on your energy. I will soon write more! To-day — Minna sends hearty greetings! Greetings to Heine, too, from both of us. Farewell, and no offence!!
Your
Richard Wagner.
Source: Richard Wagner's Letters to His Dresden Friends, Theodor Uhlig, Wilhelm Fischer, and Ferdinand Heine, trans. J. S. Shedlock (Scribner & Welford, 1890), No. 111