My dear friend,
I send you today, immediately on receipt of your kind letter, the epistle from the Prague manager announcing the prohibition of my Tannhäuser. This is all I know of the matter. It would be an excellent thing if you could succeed in having this interdict withdrawn. It annoys me especially on account of the manager, who has behaved energetically and charmingly throughout the affair. We should both be very grateful to you. In order not to forget your question as to the titles, I will answer it at once as best I can. Nothing occurs to me but “Two Pieces from Tannhäuser and Lohengrin.” 1. Entrance of the Guests at Wartburg. 2. Elsa’s bridal progress to the minster. This, in my opinion, would best indicate the character of the pieces in accordance with the events represented.
I am looking forward to your pianoforte arrangement of these pieces in the ingenious manner peculiar to you; and, above all, I am most agreeably flattered by it. I myself nurse the plan of calling a good orchestra together here next May in order to give to the people who would like to hear some of my music a characteristic selection, not dramatic but purely lyrical, of pieces from my operas. I have composed the following programme. By way of introduction: The March of Peace from Rienzi. After that: I. Flying Dutchman. A. Ballad of Senta. B. Sailors’ song, in C. C. Overture. II. Tannhäuser. A. Entrance of the Guests at Wartburg. B. Tannhäuser’s pilgrimage, that is, the introduction to the third act complete and with programme; then, joining on immediately, the song of the returning pilgrims in E flat major. C. Overture. III. Lohengrin. A. Instrumental prelude. B. The whole scene for male chorus commencing with the song of the watchman on the tower, which enters in D major immediately after the great prelude in A major, and thus leads from the heights to the earth. This is followed, after a transition specially written, by Elsa’s bridal progress, with a close specially written in E flat. C. Wedding music, introduction to Act III.; bridal song; then wedding music in G major repeated. This makes the conclusion.
I undertake the whole thing only to hear something out of Lohengrin, and would willingly abandon this substitute if I could once hear the real Lohengrin. Well, you have at least hopes. I sigh on your and my own account when I hear you say so. But all this leads me beyond the purpose of these hasty lines. To Zigesar I hope to write tomorrow; I have to thank him for his unusually rich gift for the Dutchman. To my disgrace, I must confess that it came very conveniently, although it curiously reminded me of the fact that last year I visited the islands of the Lago Maggiore at the expense of friend Liszt. Lord knows, I shall always remain a disreputable fellow. Why do you have anything to do with me? In the spectre scene of the third act of the Flying Dutchman you might have made cuts without hesitation. I am much obliged to the Princess for her zeal in making acquaintance with my new poem; if I could only read it to you both, I should have no fear. The three copies I shall send you before long.
Richard Wagner
Source: Project Gutenberg eBook #3835, Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt — Volume 1, No. 101