[...] Don't take it ill of me if now and then I fail to tell you of something that concerns me! The usual reason is that I think it of no importance. The affair of the Federal Musical Festival at Valais stands thus: The committee invited me some time ago to conduct this Musical Festival and I flatly refused, but said I was ready to undertake a Beethoven Symphony (the A major) if they would appoint for the Festival proper a special conductor who was satisfied with this arrangement. They accepted readily and engaged a musical-director of Berne (Methfessel, who happens to be very devoted to me) for the Festival. They then thought good to represent the affair in the bills they issued as though I and Methfessel had undertaken to conduct the "Festival of Music" jointly. Perhaps that struck you as strange?—For the rest, there is nothing "musical" to be expected of this gathering. I am uneasy about the orchestra they are getting together—but the chief doubt is whether a passable choir of singers will be assembled. Add to this that there is only to be one rehearsal and you will understand why I did not involve myself any deeper in the affair. [...]
In the end I suppose I shall have personally to make a fair copy of my score. It would be much too hard a task for anyone else to perform to my liking; besides, the fact is that the rough sketches are frequently so horribly confused that probably only I could make head or tail of them. It will take longer, that is all!—[...]
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Vol. 1, selected and ed. Wilhelm Altmann, trans. M. M. Bozman (J. M. Dent & Sons, 1927), No. 261