Paris, Dec. 19, 59. Best Birthday-child, Do I arrive in good time? Is to-day the very 23rd? Maybe the day is right, perhaps, but how about the present ? What could I give the child ? I am so poor now, my well of gifts has run quite dry ; it is as if I hadn't known for ages what it feels like, to come by good ideas, put them on paper, impart them ! — The only thing that would consent to occur to me, was just a kind of last conclusion of my own last (?) work ; and truly that has been no bad idea. Listen how it came about : — You know Hans wanted to conduct the prelude last winter, and begged me to make it a close* At that time no inspiration could have come to me : it seemed so impossible, that I flatly declined. Since then I have written the third act, however, and found the full close for the whole : so, while drawing up the programme for a Paris concert — the particular temptation to which was my wish to get a hearing of this Tristan-prelude — it occurred to me to outline that close in advance, as glimmering presage of redemption. Well, it has succeeded quite admirably, and to-day I send you this mysteriously tranquillising close as the best gift I can make for your birthday. I have written the piece out for you pretty much as I play it on the piano to myself : there are a few nasty stretches in it, and I expect you'll have to fish up some Roman Baumgartner to play the thing to you, unless you would rather play it with him a quatre mains ; in which case you must adapt the right hand part for both your hands. Now see what you can make of the onerous present ! — Better will you understand what I have penned as explanation of the whole prelude for my Paris audience : it stands on the other side of the specimen of caligraphy. •#*-- * 'W* Qu.4^L*£a^jI ,,' dLUyCr, pit-Mi* ■t*,$ ( KfiJp^. T&JL t^Uutdz &*~^Ujl Kn?u**± fUb^.wL, ' Ivy and vine you will recognise in the music, though, especially when you hear it on the orchestra, where strings and wind alternate with each other ; it will come out quite beautifully. I expect to hear it in the middle of January, when I'll hear it for both of us. And now, many hearty good wishes and greetings from my cold Paris, where we're almost perished with snow, ice and frost ! How is it in your part of the world ? Does Rome come up to expectations ? Let me hear very soon ; I do need a word from you ! — Fare you well, be blest and deeply reverenced ! — Your R. W.
Richard Wagner
Source: Richard Wagner to Mathilde Wesendonck, translated by Ellis, No. 98