Liszt, Franz. (1811–1886). Engraved Wooden Case and Bone Token. Two items thought to have been owned by the composer-pianist. Original circular wooden canister, possibly a piano wire case, with inscription 'Cantemus Domino, Dr. F. Liszt. XIX Aug. 1866' (on the lid) and '9 Juni 1867' (on the inside of lid). Diameter 10 cm. Together with a small round token made of an ivory-like or fine bone material, decorated with a miniature engraving and painting enhanced with sand and tiny clippings of grass depicting two angels and the letter 'L' interwoven with a cross. The token with a matching -sized round glass, diameter 2.5 cm.
On August 10th of the year 1866, the composer completed the 'Tristis est anima mea' from his oratorio 'Christus' (composed 1862 - 1866) and it is conceivable that the text on top of the lid 'Cantemus Domino, Dr. F. Liszt. XIX Aug. 1866' was carved to commemorate that occasion. We have been unable to locate any event, letter or anything else specifically for August 19th of that year.
The other date inscribed on the case, June 9th of the following year, was the day after the premiere of Liszt's 'Hungarian Coronation Mass', in Budapest. Following the 1867 Compromise between Austria and Hungary, Liszt composed a festive Mass. Yet it took concerted action on the part of Hungarian musicians and public figures, as well as the personal intervention of the Empress Elizabeth, to have his „Hungarian Coronation” Mass performed, (instead of a work by a Viennese court composer), at the coronation of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth as King and Queen of Hungary, at the Church of Our Lady (Matthias Church) in Buda on 8 June 1867. The performers were from Vienna, and Liszt was only present as a member of the audience in the gallery. It was only two years later that Liszt was able to conduct his Mass in Pest with Hungarian musicians and Ede Reményi was finally able to play the violin solos that had been intended for him from the start.
On August 10th of the year 1866, the composer completed the 'Tristis est anima mea' from his oratorio 'Christus' (composed 1862 - 1866) and it is conceivable that the text on top of the lid 'Cantemus Domino, Dr. F. Liszt. XIX Aug. 1866' was carved to commemorate that occasion. We have been unable to locate any event, letter or anything else specifically for August 19th of that year.
The other date inscribed on the case, June 9th of the following year, was the day after the premiere of Liszt's 'Hungarian Coronation Mass', in Budapest. Following the 1867 Compromise between Austria and Hungary, Liszt composed a festive Mass. Yet it took concerted action on the part of Hungarian musicians and public figures, as well as the personal intervention of the Empress Elizabeth, to have his „Hungarian Coronation” Mass performed, (instead of a work by a Viennese court composer), at the coronation of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth as King and Queen of Hungary, at the Church of Our Lady (Matthias Church) in Buda on 8 June 1867. The performers were from Vienna, and Liszt was only present as a member of the audience in the gallery. It was only two years later that Liszt was able to conduct his Mass in Pest with Hungarian musicians and Ede Reményi was finally able to play the violin solos that had been intended for him from the start.
Liszt, Franz. (1811–1886). Engraved Wooden Case and Bone Token. Two items thought to have been owned by the composer-pianist. Original circular wooden canister, possibly a piano wire case, with inscription 'Cantemus Domino, Dr. F. Liszt. XIX Aug. 1866' (on the lid) and '9 Juni 1867' (on the inside of lid). Diameter 10 cm. Together with a small round token made of an ivory-like or fine bone material, decorated with a miniature engraving and painting enhanced with sand and tiny clippings of grass depicting two angels and the letter 'L' interwoven with a cross. The token with a matching -sized round glass, diameter 2.5 cm.
On August 10th of the year 1866, the composer completed the 'Tristis est anima mea' from his oratorio 'Christus' (composed 1862 - 1866) and it is conceivable that the text on top of the lid 'Cantemus Domino, Dr. F. Liszt. XIX Aug. 1866' was carved to commemorate that occasion. We have been unable to locate any event, letter or anything else specifically for August 19th of that year.
The other date inscribed on the case, June 9th of the following year, was the day after the premiere of Liszt's 'Hungarian Coronation Mass', in Budapest. Following the 1867 Compromise between Austria and Hungary, Liszt composed a festive Mass. Yet it took concerted action on the part of Hungarian musicians and public figures, as well as the personal intervention of the Empress Elizabeth, to have his „Hungarian Coronation” Mass performed, (instead of a work by a Viennese court composer), at the coronation of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth as King and Queen of Hungary, at the Church of Our Lady (Matthias Church) in Buda on 8 June 1867. The performers were from Vienna, and Liszt was only present as a member of the audience in the gallery. It was only two years later that Liszt was able to conduct his Mass in Pest with Hungarian musicians and Ede Reményi was finally able to play the violin solos that had been intended for him from the start.
On August 10th of the year 1866, the composer completed the 'Tristis est anima mea' from his oratorio 'Christus' (composed 1862 - 1866) and it is conceivable that the text on top of the lid 'Cantemus Domino, Dr. F. Liszt. XIX Aug. 1866' was carved to commemorate that occasion. We have been unable to locate any event, letter or anything else specifically for August 19th of that year.
The other date inscribed on the case, June 9th of the following year, was the day after the premiere of Liszt's 'Hungarian Coronation Mass', in Budapest. Following the 1867 Compromise between Austria and Hungary, Liszt composed a festive Mass. Yet it took concerted action on the part of Hungarian musicians and public figures, as well as the personal intervention of the Empress Elizabeth, to have his „Hungarian Coronation” Mass performed, (instead of a work by a Viennese court composer), at the coronation of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth as King and Queen of Hungary, at the Church of Our Lady (Matthias Church) in Buda on 8 June 1867. The performers were from Vienna, and Liszt was only present as a member of the audience in the gallery. It was only two years later that Liszt was able to conduct his Mass in Pest with Hungarian musicians and Ede Reményi was finally able to play the violin solos that had been intended for him from the start.