"Liszt is one of the great composers of our
time," wrote M. Saint-Saens; "he has dared more than either Weber, or
Mendelssohn, or Schubert, or Schumann. He has created the symphonic
poem. He is the deliverer of instrumental music.... He has proclaimed
the reign of free music."[132] This was not said impulsively in a moment
of enthusiasm; M. Saint-Saens has always held this opinion. All his life
he has remained faithful to his admiration of Liszt--since 1858, when he
dedicated a _Veni Creator_ to "the Abbe Liszt," until 1886, when, a few
months after Liszt's death, he dedicated his masterpiece, the _Symphonic
avec orgue_, "To the memory of Franz Liszt."[133]
[Footnote 131: "I like Liszt's music so much, because he does not bother
about other people's opinions; he says what he wants to say; and the
only thing that he troubles about is to say it as well as he possibly
can" (Quoted by Hippeau).]
[Footnote 132: The quotations are taken from _Harmonie et Melodie_ and
_Portraits et Souvenirs_.]
[Footnote 133: In _Harmonie et Melodie_ M. Saint-Saens tells us that he
organised and directed a concert in the Theatre-Italien where only
Liszt's compositions were played.
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