Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt, Volume 1

Letter writing between friends is often seen as a woman’s pastime. These letters between two of the outstanding men of music firmly reject that idea. Wagner, the younger, is a rebel who stands in awe of the master pianist Franz Liszt. The figure of the elder statesman that Liszt cut is at odds with the care, affection and support he offers to the growing talent and capabilities of Wagner. To often all that remains of great music is the tune. The people and the times that inspired it are forgotten. These letters cut direct to the heart of the drive that made the music.