ANALECTA LISZTIANA I LISZT AND HIS WORLD Proceedings of the International Liszt Conference held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 20-23 May 1993 Edited by Michael Saffle FRANZ LISZT STUDIES SERIES #5 PENDRAGON PRESS STUYVESANT, NEW YORKOther Titles in the Franz Liszt Studies Series, Michael Saffle, General Editor No. 1 Liszt, Carolyne, and the Vatican Documents by Alan Walker with Gabriele Erasmi (1991) ISBN 0-945193-09-2 No. 2 Liszt in Germany 1840-1845 by Michael Saffle (1994) ISBN 0-945 193-39-4 No. 3 The Symphonic Poems of Franz Liszt by Keith T. Johns (1997) ISBN 0-945193-40-8 No. 4 Living With Liszt: From the Diary of Carl Lachmund, an American Pupil of Liszt, 1882-1884, rev. ed. (1998) ISBN 0-945193-56-4 No. 6 Analecta Lisztiana H: New Perspectives on Liszt and His Music, Essays in Honor of Alan Walker's 65th Birthday, edited by James Deaville and Michael Saffle (1997) ISBN 0-945193-73-4 No. 7 Wagner in Rehearsal 1875-1876: The Diaries of Richard Fricke trans- lated by George Fricke, annotated and introduced by James Deaville (in press) ISBN 0-945193-86-6 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data International Liszt Conference (1993 : Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) Liszt and his world : proceedings of the International Liszt Conference held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 20-23 May 1993 / edited by Michael Saffle. p. cm. — (Analecta Lisztiana ; 1) (Franz Liszt studies series ; no. 5) Includes index. ISBN 0-945193-34-3 1. Liszt, Franz, 1811-1886—Congresses. 1. Safle, Michael Benton, 1946- . Il. Title. Ill. Series. IV. Series: Franz Liszt studies series ; no. 5. MLAI0.L7164 1993 780’. 92—de21 (B] 97-33016 cIp MN Copyright 1998 Pendragon PressCONTENTS Illustrations Preface Sigla Used Throughout this Volume Liszt and His World I. LISZT’S LIFE, INTERESTS, AND RELATIONSHIPS Liszt in Hungary, 1820-1846 Dezs6 Legény Liszt and Madame d’ Agoult: A Reappraisal Charles Suttoni Liszt as Reader, Intellectual, and Musician Ben Arnold Liszt’s “Weimar Mythology” Gerhard J. Winkler II. DOCUMENTARY AND RECEPTION STUDIES A New Liszt Catalogue Michael Short (with Leslie Howard) Liszt Music Manuscripts in Paris: A Preliminary Survey Michael Saffle Liszt Collections in New York City Libraries Jane Gottlieb vii 37 61 75 101 137vi A “Daily Diary of the Weimar Dream”: Joachim Raff’s Unpublished Letters to Doris Genast, 1852-1856 James Deaville Liszt’s Scandinavian Reputation Lennart Rabes III. LISZT’S MUSIC AND AESTHETIC INFLUENCE Structural Issues in Liszt’s Philosophical Symphonic Poems Rey M. Longyear Liszt’s “Lieder”: An Essay in Formalization Rossana Dalmonte Hearing his Master’s Voice: Smetana’s “Swedish” Symphonic Poems and their Lisztian Models Kenneth DeLong Saint-Saéns’s Two-Piano Arrangement of Liszt’s Sonata: A Final Tribute Allan B. Ho Liszt and Schenker John D. White Index CONTENTS 181 217 247 271 295 335 353 365image not availableimage not availableimage not availablex MICHAEL SAFFLE Investigations of Liszt sources and documents have grown more ambitious in recent years, but few have aspired to the scope of Michael Short’s—which, prepared in collaboration with Leslie Howard, constitutes nothing less than a new comprehensive catalogue of Liszt’s musical and literary works. Jane Gottlieb, Librarian of The Juilliard School in Manhattan, catalogs that institution’s collection of rare Liszt editions and adds comments about documents owned by other New York City archives. James Deaville, a member of the McMaster University faculty of Art, Drama, and Music, translates and discusses an important collection of Liszt documents: Joachim Raff's 1850s letters to Doris Genast. The late Lennart Rabes, for two decades Director of the International Liszt Centre for Nineteenth- century Music, Stockholm, and Editor of Liszt Saeculum, introduces us not only to Liszt’s 1842 tour of Denmark but to his influence throughout the Scandinavian world, Liszt’s music continues to demand attention from informed commentators. The late Rey Longyear’s study of Liszt’s “philo- sophical” symphonic poems provides new information about how those works were put together. Celebrated Italian theorist Rossana Dalmonte examines Liszt’s Lieder—regrettably, still among the least familiar of his compositions—in terms of their melodic “grammar” and “syntax.” Kenneth DeLong, Professor of Music at the University of Calgary, discusses similarities between some of Liszt’s symphonic poems and those of Bohemian composer Bedrich Smetana. Allan B. Ho of Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, documents the admiration felt by French composer Camille Saint-Saéns for Liszt, especially as preserved in an obscure two-paino transcription by Saint- Saéns of Liszt’s Sonata in b minor. Finally, theorist John D. White explains why Liszt’s music has so seldom been the subject of Shenkerian analysis For the most part I have honored the academic styles of my contributors; on the other hand, I have made use throughout this volume of a number of sigia identified on page 2. Capital letters are used throughout for major keys (e.g., C Major), while lower-case letters are used for minor keys (e.g., c minor). Individual note names appear in quotation marks (e.g., “C-sharp”). As in this last example, accidentals are spelled out below instead of being given in symbolic form. I would like to thank Virginia Tech, especially its Center for Programs in the Humanities (since 1996 part of its Center for Interdisciplinary Studies) and its College of Arts and Sciences, both for supporting the original “Liszt and His World” conference andimage not availableimage not availableimage not availableDezsé Legdny LISZT IN HUNGARY, 1820-1846 The first time Franz Liszt played before an Hungarian audience—or, for that matter, before any audience—was in October 1820, in the town of Sopron, capital of the county where he was born. This was not a solo recital, but a joint one given with Baron Zsigmond Praun, a young violinist the same age as Liszt.’ Both children were extraordinarily talented and enjoyed great success. Liszt’s second Hungarian recital was given about a month after the first, in November 1820. It took place in Pozsony (known to Austrians and Germans as “Pressburg”) which, after World War I, became the capital of Slovakia under the name “Bratislava.” In Liszt’s childhood Pozsony was the most celebrated city in Hungary. From 1563 to 1835 Hungary’s kings were crowned there, and between 1526-1848 it was the seat of the Hungarian national assembly. A permanent theater was opened in Pozsony in 1776, and the first Hungarian newspaper, the Magyar Hirmond6 (or “Hungarian Courier”) was published there beginning in 1780. All this attracted a large number of Hungarian aristocrats to the city, which in turn enhanced its reputation. Liszt’s father Adam Liszt knew these things and chose a date for his son’s recital Like Liszt, Zsigmond Praun was born in Hungary, in a town called Nagyszombat (now Trnava, Slovakia), north of the Danube. Although not a large town, Nagyszombat was famous for its scientific and ecclesiastical reputation. As early as in the sixteenth century there was a printing office in Nagyszombat. An excellent university was opened there in 1635, and remained in the town for one and a half centuries before it was transferred to Budapest. Furthermore, between 1543 and 1822 Nagyszombat was the center of the Hungarian Catholic church, About a century after Praun was born there, the young Kodaly lived for eight years in Nagyszombat, and before him Dohnanyi’s father finished secondary school there. It would have seemed logical at the time to assume that Praun, born in a town with a famous cultural and ecclesiastical reputation, might become famous; while Liszt, who from birth had lived in a little and poor village, might achieve nothing. But no man can see in the future. Although he achieved success in Hungary, Austria, Italy, France, and Germany, Praun died of pneumonia at the age of eighteen. His name and information about him are to be found in Zenei Lexikon, ed. Dénes Bartha (Budapest: Zenemikiadé Vallalat, 1965), Vol. III, p. 148. Otherwise everybody forgot him, except Liszt, Ina letter written in January 1874, fifty-four years after their joint performance at Sopron, Liszt referred to his youthful colleague as “Braun” (instead of Praun). See Janos Scholz, Egy ismeretlen soproni vonatkozasti Liszt-level a New Yorki egyetem konyvtdrdban = Soproni Szemle 4 (1961).image not availableimage not availableimage not availableLISZT IN HUNGARY, 1820-1846 7 Napoca, Rumania) informed its readers that Liszt had spent the winter of 1836-1837 in Paris.” § In 1838 a terrible flood destroyed Pest. At that time Liszt was living in Venice with Countess Marie d’Agoult (1805-1876). He read in a German newspaper about the catastrophe and at once decided to help his compatriots. Without hesitation Liszt left for Vienna, where gave a series of recitals in aid of the unfortunte Hungarian flood victims. He was unable to give more than ten performances in Vienna, however, because the Countess d’Agoult fell ill in Venice and Liszt was forced to return to her. With the success of his first Viennese recital, Liszt’s reputation in Hungary began to grow. In the columns of Honmiivész Hungarian readers could learn which of Liszt’s compositions could be purchased at Mecchetti’s in the Austrian capital.'? The programs and reviews of all his Viennese recitals and concerts were published in Hungarian. Every review in Honmivész began with the title “Liszt Ferencz Bécsben” (Franz Liszt in Vienna).'*The same magazine also mentioned two occasions when works by Liszt were performed in Pest. On the first occasion, 3 March 1838, the Vienese pianist Carolyne Rothmayer performed at the Vigado a Schubert song transcribed by Liszt.'* On the second occasion, 17 March, the same lady played another (or possibly the same) transcription, as well as Liszt’s Divertissement sur la Cavatine de Pacini “I tuoi frequenti palpiti.”"* § In 1839 Liszt settled upon a concert-tour in Hungary. The previous year Count Leé Festetics (1800-1884), the President of the Pestbudai Hangéaszegyesiilet (or Music Society of Pest-Buda) invited him to visit his native land, and Liszt promised to come. A year or so later he wrote to Festetics that he would arrive in Pest between 18-20 December 1839.” In fact, Liszt only managed to reach Pozsony on 18 December and remained there until 22 December. At that time the National Assembly "2Erdélyi Hiradé Kolozsvér (30 September 1837). 'Honmilvész (3 May 1838). “Honmiivész (10, 24, and 27 May; and 21 June 1838). 'S Honmilvész (7 March 1839). "SHonmitvész (21 March 1839). "'Honmilvész (5 December, 1839).image not availableimage not availableimage not availableLISZT IN HUNGARY, 1820-1846 1 Next, on 20 February, he left for Kismarton (now Eisenstadt, Austria); there he performed as a pianist at a private concert. Finally, after returning to Sopron on 21 February, he left for Prague via Vienna. Three days later, in recognition of his great merits, he was given the freedom of Sopron.” § Liszt next came to Hungary in 1846. His first recital, presented on 30 April in the Vigad6, consisted of the following program: his own Réminiscences de Don Juan; his transcriptions of Schubert’s Ave Maria and Erlkdénig; Beethoven’s E-flat Major Sonata, Op. 27, No. 1; his own transcription of the Marche funébre de Dom Sébastian; and two or more of his own “Hungarian Melodies.” His success was enormous. A second recital, presented in the same hall on 3 May, included his transcription of Rossini’s Ouverture de l'opéra Guillaume Tell, two etudes by Chopin; his own Mélodies hongroises d’aprés Schubert, the Réminiscences de Lucia di Lammermoor and Réminiscences de Robert le Diable, and two or more “Hungarian Melodies.” Another triumph. On 2 May, between the two recitals, Count Széchenyi showed Liszt the new bridge and shipyard in Pest and afterwards invited him to a dinner at his family home.” Liszt presented additional recitals in Budapest on 3, 5, 7, 11, and 13 May 1846. All of them he gave for charity. Of these recitals the first two were presented at the National Theater, and on behalf of the new Music Conservatory and the Pension Office of the Hungarian National Guard. The third recital was given on behalf of the Women’s Association. (Unfortunately, local newspapers did not publish programs for these recitals.) Around the same time Miklés Barabds (1810-1898) painted a portrait of Liszt for the National Museum; Count Festetics presented to the same Museum a bust of Liszt cast in bronze; Mrs. Schodel gave a dinner in his honor on 1 May; and on 11 May Count Guido Karatsonyi (1817-1885) and the editor of the weekly Honderd organized a farewell party for Liszt at the Bartl-house, which stood in the city park. On 13 May Liszt gave his last recital in the National Theater; he donated his income from this event to the Josephinum Orphanage. The same day, at noon and at Liszt’s own request, Ferenc Erkel’s opera Hunyadi Laszlé was performed in the National Theater.” 2511 was presented to him on 24 February 1840. The original document is in Weimar; a photocopy may be found in the Liszt Ferenc Museum, Sopron. ® Honderli (5 May 1846). **/fonderié (19 May 1846)image not availableimage not availableimage not availableLISZT IN HUNGARY, 1820-1846 15 his performances of his own Fantaisie sur des motifs favoris de l'opéra La Sonnambula, and of Weber’s Aufforderung zum Tanz (i.e., “Invitation to the Waltz”).** Next came Nagyszeben, where the pianist was accompanied by music and a torchlight procession to the Inn called Romai csaszarhoz (or “Roman Emperor”). On 20 November he gave a recital that met with a mixed response. Nagyszeben was inhabited mainly by Germans—who took a dim view not only of the many Hungarians in the audience, but also of the admission cards printed in Hungarian (which Liszt used throughout his Hungarian tour) and the great number of Hungarian pieces on his program. When, for an encore, Liszt did not play the Er/kénig, as the Germans demanded, but the Rdékdczi March, he was hissed off the stage by the German audience. Nagyszeban was the only town where Liszt was not successful during his concert-tour in Hungary.” On 24 November, after a day’s journey, Liszt arrived in Kolozsvar. His first recital there was given in the city concert hall on the evening of 26 November; his program consisted of the Cavatine de Lucia de Lammermoor and Réminiscences de Norma, his own transcriptions of Schubert’s Ave Maria and Erlkdnig, the Hexameron variations, and his “Hungarian Melodies.” This program was a huge success according to the local newspapers Kelet and Vasdrnapi Ujsdg. Afterwards Liszt was honored by the Kolozsvari Hazi Zenekér (Kolozsvar Domestic Music Society), which elected him an honorary member. When he left to attend the Society’s meeting in a coach, the street down which he travelled was illuminated by sixty flaming torches. Liszt’s second public recital in Kolozsvar was also held at the Concert Hall, this time on the evening of 29 November. This time he played a transcription of the Overture to Hunyadi Laszlé, his own Réminiscences de Don Juan, a “Tarantella,” a Chopin Mazurka, the “Polonaise” from J Puritani, and his own second March hongroise (S. 232). Liszt’s third recital in Kolozsvaér was given for charity on 3 December at the theater in Farkas Street. The program included the Guillaume Tell overture, Die Forelle in transcription, the Sonnambula fantasy, Schubert’s Stdndchen in transcription, Liszt’s own “Hungarian Melodies,” and Weber’s Aufforderung zum Tanz. Afterwards some 150 young people with torches accompanied him home to the sound of the Rakéczi March. From the proceeds the pianist was able to donate 700 forints to five different charitable institutions. Finally, on 5 December, %*Miilt és Jelen (10 December 1846). Milt és Jelen (10 December 1846). “Erdélyi Hiradé Kolozsvar (29 November 1846).image not availableimage not availableimage not availableLISZT AND MADAME D’AGOULT: A REAPPRAISAL 19 toward motherhood will be noted later). A third possibility is that Liszt was a demanding, impetuous, incautious lover. But this is another untenable position, because we know that his intimacies, however many there might have been, in all the years before, during and after the affair with Mme d’Agoult produced no other children. If, then, there was no possibility of marriage, no especial desire to have children, and Liszt managed to remain otherwise childless, we are left with a final possibility; namely, that the children were the natural and necessary consequence of their lovemaking. This is the position that the biographers generally take as they duly report the births of Blandine, Cosima, and Daniel without giving their arrival much further thought. Yet, this possibility, too, cannot pass unchallenged because contraception, particularly among the educated classes, was a well established, common practice at the time. One need look no farther than the Paris of the day—that is, at Berlioz’s long affair with Marie Récio; Rossini’s liaison with Olympe Péllissier; Musset’s string of amours that included George Sand, Caroline Jaubert, and Aimée d’Alton; Delacroix’s relations with Joséphine de Forget; Sainte-Beuve’s cozy arrangement with Adéle Hugo (Victor’s wife); Hugo’s own subsequent decades-long attachment to Juliette Drouet; or even George Sand’s long succession of lovers—to see that these friends and contemporaries could and did indeed have affairs, mistresses, lovers, and sex without producing children. All, that is, except for Liszt and Mme d’Agoult, whose singular fertility was notably at odds with prevailing extramarital practice. Faced with this anomaly, it is instructive to examine the methods of avoiding pregnancy that were in use at the time.” There were three. One was coitus interruptus, known as /a retraite (the retreat), a practice that became relatively widespread during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, despite churchly fulminations against onanism. Another was an early type of condom, /a baudruche (the membrane), although it was used mainly with prostitutes more as a protection against disease than a contraceptive. But, if these two methods focused on the male anatomy, the third and by far the most prevalent, accepted mode of contraception among the better classes, especially the French, was one that depended upon the woman—giving her, as the Countess of Sutherland noted above, final control over conception, It was a semen-absorbing vaginal sponge. The sponge had a ribbon attached to facilitate its removal after Given Liszt’s reputation in some quarters as a lothario, a number of attempts have been made to identify other illegitimate offspring, but none have proved successful, McLaren, pp. 156-158, 183-185.