R. is facing great difficulties with the standstill; he cannot complete his choir or orchestra. I had to attend a ladies’ conference regarding a church carpet. In the afternoon, I went out to the theater, and R. was deeply troubled about the delay in the earthworks; while R. struggled, they have accomplished nothing here! … Very sad on the way home, but cheered up by the children, especially Fidi: “Around him are God and His host of angels,” says R., “il est bien né”.[1]
A beautiful response from Father to R.’s wonderful letter. Hans writes to me and sends 100 pounds for the children. In the evening, great fatigue, no reading. R. recently sang the entrance of the Commandeur in “Don Juan” and said: “No romantic spirit of our time can be more romantic than some of the features of this scene. God, what kind of men Mozart and Beethoven were, in them, music truly raged like a fever.” He recently noted about Weber that he was the first to have a wind instrument played “ff” (fortissimo) while the rest of the orchestra played p (piano). He laughs a lot about the cello as a solo instrument or with the accompaniment of the piano.
[1] he is well-born.
Revised English translation by Jo Cousins.