in which he reproves the young virtuoso, taking umbrage at his absence due to his attending a performance of the ballet Gräfin Egmont, declaring how little one can count on the support of one's friends, observing that today he finds himself feeling very ill, stating that he could have done with a friend by him, and commenting slyly that who knows long he still has to demonstrate his friendship; in the second part of the letter Wagner asks whether he will in fact need him tomorrow, noting that he would have come to him this evening, but that he has gleaned from the newspaper that the Gräfin Egmont is being performed ("...Wer weiss, wie lange du noch Gelegenheit hast, ... mich als Freund zu bewähren...")

3 pages, cut down from a larger leaf, 13.5 x 10.6cm, no place or date [probably Vienna, October 1861], some very slight damp-staining, affecting a few words, some creasing

Ernest Newman, The Life of Richard Wagner, iii (1941), p.150; see also Wagner's letter to Minna, 3 October 1861 (SB volume 13, no.198 (p.240).

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Karl Tausig (1840-1871) was one of the most celebrated prodigies among Liszt's pupils, who went on to work for Wagner. This letter is a revealing one, demonstrating the withering reproofs anyone might expect who showed less than total compliance to the will of the master. The two-act ballet Gräfin Egmont, referred to here, was composed by Paolo Giorza, and received its first performance in Vienna in October 1861. Despite criticizing Tausig for attending the piece, Wagner had apparently his own reasons for being interested in it: a complimentary review of it, supposedly by him, in the Oesterreichische Zeitung of 8 October, which was published under the initials of another of his amanuenses, Peter Cornelius, took the opportunity to praise the courage of the Opera director Salvi for choosing to stage Tristan - an event, which famously never came to pass. We are most grateful for the assistance of Prof. John Deathridge in our cataloguing of this lot.