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Rh and it may «'ell be doubted whether liis essay on the Symphonic Poems, an admiral)le joiece of analysis as it is, did not do more harm than good as far as popularity was concerned. Wagner was the scape- goat of the German press, and any cause he advo- c<ated became by that means a red rag for the journalistic bull to butt at. What Wagner could do and did for Liszt was of an infinitely higher order : it was of the psycho- logical intangible kind. Wagner made Liszt the noble artistic figiu'e we have known in these latter years. As to this point much controversy has recently been going on between their respectip disciples, who are full of that unitual jealousy and animosity which never seems to have entered the minds of the masters themselves. The Liszt party are fond of asserting that the idea of a poetic basis for music, which is at the bottom of modern art reform, was in the mind of Liszt long before Wagner formulated it into a system. They go further than tliis, and state that ^^'^agner actually borrowed some of his melodies from jiis fi'iend, in witness of which they cite the following authentic story. At a rehearsal of the Valki/ric in 18T6, which Liszt attended, Wagner, in the second act where Sieglinde says ' Kelu'te der Vater nun heim .''" suddenly touched iiis arm and whispered, " Papa, liere comes a theme which I have stolen from you.' ' Very well,' replied Liszt, ' then people at least will listen to it.' The theme occurs at the beginning of the 'Faust' Sym- phony, and the identity is undeniable, but the ques- tion remains, — Would Liszt, in the first instance, have conceived such a melody had he not drawn his inspiration more or less indirectly from Wagner's works ? It is quite true that Liszt in a vague way felt from the beginning that desire for poetic in- spiration, as embodied in nuisic, which induced Beethoven to wed Schiller's words to the final move- ment of his ninth symphony, and which would have made a piece of programme music pui-e and simple of his tenth symphony, as the remaining sketches are sufficient to show. Schumann attached titles to his short pianoforte pieces, as Couperin had done before him, and as Liszt did after him, or simul- taneously with him ; but between this and making the ' poetic idea ' the vital principle of formal development, there is a vast gulf which Wagner was the first to bridge over. Compare Liszt's ' Anntes de Pelerinage ' with his ' Tasso,' or any of the sym- phonic poems, and you will see the difference between indefinite desire and conscious pm-pose. Altogether Liszt's artistic morale was raised and purified by contact with the pure flame which burnt in the breast of Wagner. His nature no doubt was nobly designed, but lie had been brought up in bad surroLmdings. The virtuoso's platform at the be- ginning of this century was not the place where a liigli artistic purpose could be carried through with safety ; a certain amount of insincerity, of clap-trap, — to speak plainly, of humbug, — was absolutely neces- sary for success. Beethoven, if tolerated at all, had to be ' improved ' upon, and Liszt did so ' improve ' upon him, to his subsequent regret ; improvisations on a theme ' selected by one of the audience,' had to be played — in brief, concessions had to be made. This attitude of yielding to the popular taste had to some extent become habitual to Liszt, and he expected that his great friend would follow his example. The following sketch of a programme which he mapped out for 'Vagner will sufficientlv illustrate the point. In a letter without date, but which evidently belongs to the summer of 1849, we read as follows : — L ' To give RiviK:i during the winter of 1850 at the Paris Opera, whence it will take its flight to all the theatres of Germany, and perhaps of Italy. For Europe wants an opera which, for our new revolu- tionary epoch, will be what La Muette dc Portki was for the July revolution, and Rknzi is conceived and written for those conditions. If you succeed in introducing into it a slight element of relief, were it only by means of stage machinery, or of the ballet, success is certain.' 2. ' To write a new work for the winter of ' 51 in collaboration with Vaez and A. Royer, who know all the mysteries of success. In the interval you cannot do better than take a good position in the musical press. Forgive me for this suggestion, ami manage so that you are not of necessity placed in a hostile position towards things and people likely to bar your road to success and fame. A truce to political commonplaces, socialistic stuff, and per- sonal hatreds ! On the other hand, good courage, strong patience, and flaming fire, which latter it will not be difficult for you to provide, with the vol- canoes you have in your brain ! ' At the end of the same letter there occurs a still more startling proposal, which it must have gone to poor IMadame Wagner's heart to copy for the printers. She indeed has evidently not been able to finish the last sentence which dies away in a significant line of dots: — 'The admirable score oi Lohengrin ha.s interested me profoundly ; nevertjieless I fear at the perfor- mance the ■■iuperhleal colour which you have main- tained throughout. Perhaps you will think me an awful Philistine, dear friend, but I cannot help it, and my sincere friendship for you may authorise me to tell you. . . . ' That a man who held up the writing of a French