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Eric Sams
The "Freudian" querelle
Letters to and from Alan Walker
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5.
11th
September 1968
Dear Alan,
how
nice to hear from you and to learn that I'm still in your list, if
not in your Liszt; as to which I'm afraid that with the best will in
the world I can't help you, much as I would like to. First, candour
compels me to admit that if I have a little weakness it's on the
subject of Liszt's songs.
I
don't know them really well enough, that is, to be able to catch up
to the required extent – at my time of life in general, and in
particular at this rather hectic phase of it, when I seem to be
working on (inter alia) three books at once already. A pity; because
I like the works and find them interesting. I well recall hearing
them on those Hungarian discs, and having a word or two with you on
the subject over lunch one day. My recollection is of getting the
strong impression (as I do about almost everything) that you know
much more about them than I do. If I may make a suggestion which may
not have occurred to you – how about doing them yourself?
I'm sorry, truly, that I can't be of more service to you; I'd have
been happy to help if I could – and rather flattered too. I add that
because in a wild moment the other day I acquired your Chopin volume
(in a sale admittedly, but I did actually buy it:) and was pleased to
find how well it continues to read. Make the next one on Brahms, say,
or Mendelssohn , and I'd be more dependable in any emergency that
might arise.
I see quite a lot of Jon Thomson these days, and he sometimes speaks
wistfully (well, fairly wistfully) of his Barrie days. What else are
you doing for them or generally?
How about lunch one day? It's my turn.
Yours ever Eric
PS-
I'd be interested to know whether you can find a basic idea in
Schumann’s Op.12, as Reti did in his Op. 15?
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