DICTIONARY OF MUSIC - El Atril

744 LISZT LISZT
the incideutg of his own life. On being asked
one day tliereason of his abstention from creative
work, Liszt replied by another question, ' Can
Wagner himself, who
you not guess ? ' To
urged him to compose a German ofiera on his
(Wagner's) tragedy of ' Wieland der Schmidt,
Liszt answered that he felt no vocation for such
a task ;
he tlionght it more likely that he might
give his first dramatic work a trial in Paris or in
London. So he continued a life of self-abnega-
tion, and died faithful to the last to the claims of
friendsliip and of genius, many young composers
besides tlie titanic Wagner owing their first suc-
cesses in life to his generous sympatliy and penetrating
judgment. He made Weimar, during
the tw^elve years of his residence, the centre of
musical life in Germany. ' I had dreamed for
Weimar a new Art period,' wrote Liszt in 1860,
' similar to that of Karl August, in which
A¥agner and I would have been the leaders as
formerly Goethe and Schiller, but unfavourable
circumstances brought these dreams to nothing.'
Though Liszt did not accomplish all he wished
for Weimar, the little city still ranks high
among German art-centres, and in some degree
carries on the work of advancement so firmly
established between the years 1844 and 1861.
first performed at the
[The ' Graner Messe ' was
consecration of the Gran Cathedral, August 31,
1856.]
The resignation of the Weimar capellmeistership
in 1861 was followed, after some years
during which Rome was his headquarters, by
what Liszt called his vie trifurqude, divided
between Budapest, Weimar, and Rome. The
Hungarian Government, in order to ensure
Liszt's presence in Builapest during part of tlie
year, invented for him (1870) the post of
president of an institution which at the moment
did not exist, but which soon afterwards rose
as the Academy of Music. [' The Legend of
Saint Elizabeth' was given there in August 1 8 6 5. ]
Impressive scenes occurred when the Magyars
publicly feted their compatriot,' and heroworship
was at its height on such occasions as
the jubilee of the master's career in 1873, when
' Cliristus ' was
performed at the Hungarian
capital.
The aspect of Liszt's everyday life at Weimar
has become known through the accounts of
some of the host of aspiring pianists and music
lovers who gathered around him there. Liszt's
teaching had already borne fruit in the wonderful
achievements of his most distinguished
pupils—Von Bidow, D'Albert, the lamented
Tauaig, and others, and no wonder that the
music-room which the generous artist had thrown
open to all comers was thronged by a number of
more or less gifted young people in search of
inspiration— no other word so well describes
the ideal character of the instruction they were
privileged to receive.
1 Janka Wohl'a Fran^(tu Liszt.
Liszt held his classes in the afternoon, during
which several of the pupils would play in the
presence of the rest—some dozen or more, per-
haps—all being expected to attend the seance.
At times the master would seat himself at the
piano and play, but this supreme pleasure could
never be counted upion. It was noticeable that
this most unselfish of geniuses was never more
strict or more terrible than when a Beethoven
sonata was brought to him, whereas he would
listen to the execution of his own compositions
with indulgent patience— a cliaracteristic trait.
Yet Liszt's thoughts often dwelt upon his great
choral works, and he was heard to declare that
sacred music had become to him the only thing
worth living for.
A lively description of Liszt's professorial life
has been given by an American lady who visited
Weimar in 1873. ^ [See also an article in the
FoHnirjhtly Review for September 1886, by
F. Huelfer.]
In Rome again Liszt found himself the centre
of an artistic circle of which HeiT von Keudell
and Sgambati were the moving spirits. The
significance, however, of his residence in the
Eternal City lies rather in the view he took of
it as his annees de recueiUement, wdiiclr ultimately
led to his binding himself as closely as
he could to the Church of Rome. He who in
his youth, with the thirst for knowledge upon
him, had enjoyed the writings of freethinkers
and atheists (without being conraiced by them),
was now content with his breviary and book of
hours ; the impetuous artist who had felt the
fascination of St. Simonianism ^ before he had
thoroughly understood its raisoii d'tfre, who
had been carried away by the currents of the
revolution, and had even in 1841 joined the
Freemasons,^ became in 1856orl858a tertiary
of St. Francis of Assisi. In 1879 he was permitted
to receive the tonsure and the four
minor orders (door-keeper, reader, exorcist, and
acolyth), and an honorary canonry. The Abbe
Liszt, who as a boy had wished to enter the
priesthood, but was dissuaded therefrom by his
parents and his confessor, now rejoiced in the
public avowal of his creed as conveyed by his
priestly garb, although he W'as indeed no priest,
could neitlier say mass nor hear a confession,
and was at liberty to discard his cassock, and
even to marry if he chose, without causing
scandal. Thus, in the struggle with the world
which the youth of sixteen had so much dreaded,
his religious fervour was destined to carry the
day. Extracts from Liszt's private papers
throwing further light on his inmost thoughts
have been published,* but can be only referred
to in this place.
2 Music Study in Gi^rmany. Amy Fay.
3 '
I neither officially uor unolficialiy belonged to the St, Simoni,in3.'
Spe Ratoann, vol. i, Heine is inaccurate on tiiia and some
other points.
* At Frankfort-am-Main, during the period of his sojourn at
Nonnenwerth with the Countess d'Agoult.
5 Allffemeiite Musik-Zeitung, May 13, 1887.