I found a translation of this letter that Liszt wrote (I don't know to whom exactly) regarding his understanding of conducting and beyond this, also the scanning of time and musical taste, even setting aside his questionable thoughts on the late Beethoven; here it is:
In various criticisms concerning the Karlsruhe Music Festival that have come to my attention, I find a point upon which the writers seem to be in quite agreement: namely, on the insufficiency of my faculties as an orchestra conductor.
Without wanting to dwell here on discussing to what extent and which preconceptions may have contributed to determining such a judgment, and without wanting to investigate to what extent the simple fact that the choice fell upon me—to the exclusion of the Master conductors of the orchestras of Karlsruhe, Darmstadt, and Mannheim—has influenced this opinion, it would not be for me to counter the opinions that are so zealously attempted to be asserted, if these were based on some concrete or legitimate element. But it is precisely these assertions that I must decisively reject.
First of all, and to stick to the facts, it seems no one can deny that the entire program benefited from an excellent performance, and that both the fusion and the effect produced by the orchestra, combined with the wisely chosen hall, can be defined not only as satisfactory, but indeed excellent. All this is admitted spontaneously, with the addition that it was truly surprising that the whole succeeded so brilliantly, «despite» the incapacity of the Conductor.
Far from me is the idea of preening myself with the peacock feathers of the orchestras of Karlsruhe, Mannheim, and Darmstadt; and no one is more ready than I to recognize the great merits of their individual members; but, based on the faith of what my opponents wrote, one must also consider beyond any doubt that the performance resulted at some point in being «surprising» and, as a whole, much superior to what could reasonably be expected from my direction.
Once this «fact» is recognized, it would remain only to investigate whether it is truly true that I was quite entirely extraneous to it, as is so affectionately claimed to be the case; and for what reason an orchestra conductor is placed so openly in the dock, in affront to the excellence of the performances; especially when one wishes to take into due account that all the music performed was completely new to the orchestra itself.
Since, as everyone in Karlsruhe knows, with the exception of Berlioz's composition—which only some members of the Karlsruhe orchestra knew having played it under the composer's direction—the IX Symphony, as well as the works of Wagner, Berlioz, and Schumann, were known in depth only by me, for the simple reason that, previously, they had never been performed in this city.
Drawing strength from the right granted to me by the aforementioned judgment, I now ask whether, given the facts, I can be reproached in good faith and with full knowledge of the matter for being inexperienced, insecure, or incapable.
Without wanting to defend myself, which I do not believe is necessary for those who know me, allow me to make one more observation regarding the very cause of the controversy.
These works, that is, for which I publicly confess my admiration and preference, largely belong to those that the more or less famous, and especially the self-styled «virtuoso» conductors, find either unworthy or little worthy of their personal sympathy, so that an execution of such music, handled by the aforementioned, belongs to the world of rarities.
These works are counted among those that today are generally cataloged as belonging to the style of Beethoven's late manner, to whose origin—until not long ago and with no respect—was placed the deafness and mental aberration of Beethoven (!).
Such works, in my opinion, demand from the orchestra a progress toward which we are only now beginning to move, but which is still far from being completely achieved in all its developments. A progress in accent, in rhythm, in the care of phrasing and the details of certain specific passages; in declamation and the balancing of shadows and lights as a whole; in short, a progress in the style of the execution itself.
This way of working establishes and tightens between the orchestral mass and the one who conducts it relationships very different from those that usually exist with an imperturbable time-beater. Because in many passages, the harsh, rigid observance of time and of every single part of the measure (1, 2, 3, 4; 1, 2, 3, 4) prevails against the reasons and necessities of expression, and suffocates and nullifies them. Here, once again, the letter kills the spirit. This is, from an artistic point of view, a death sentence that I will never sign, no matter how hateful
could it be that the attacks which, with simulated impartiality, can be directed at me,
For the works of Beethoven, Berlioz and other masters of similar stature, it is even less easy for me than for others to see what advantages - which I could contest with full conviction even in cases different from these - could be realized if a conductor were to appropriate the functions of a windmill, and if, sweating profusely, he strove to communicate to the orchestral mass the ardor of his fanaticism.
Especially there, where it is a matter of understanding, of feeling, of spiritually penetrating, of an enflaming of hearts in the common enjoyment of the beautiful, the grandiose, the true in art and poetry: especially there, the satisfied presumption and mechanical skill of the typical conductor should no longer suffice; not only that: but this should be deemed irreconcilable with the dignity and the high freedom of art.
With all due respect to my kind critics, I will hold myself content, at every upcoming opportunity, with my "insufficient" capacity and ineptitude; and I will continue to follow my deep convictions; which will never allow me to lower myself to the level of a time-beater; to a part, that is, which twenty-five years of experience, and assiduous study, and my sincere enthusiasm for art, have never managed to make to my taste.
With all the esteem that I pay to many of my colleagues, and while being ready to gladly recognize the good services they have rendered and can still render to art, I do not feel at all obliged to imitate their example in every point - and even less to imitate them in the criteria that guide them both in the choice of works to be performed, and in those that guide them in their interpretation and execution.
I believe I have already said other times that, in my opinion, the true task of the conductor consists in making himself apparently superfluous - and in making his function as inconspicuous as possible. Wir sind Steuermänner und keine Ruder knechte. We are helmsmen and not rowers.
And even if this maxim should arouse even greater opposition from someone, I would not be capable of changing an opinion that I consider right.
With the Weimar orchestra, the application of this principle has yielded excellent results: which even some of my detractors today recognized and praised at the time. Therefore, I will continue, without being discouraged, to dedicate my services to art in the way that I believe is best - and which will probably be the best.
Let us therefore take up the gauntlet thrown at us by a pack of sleepyheads without brains and without spiritual restlessness; and let us persevere in the awareness of our good right and our future.
Weimar, November 5, 1853