en the sincerity of a
composer is in question there is a great difference as to what should
be the standard of judgment, whether the work be for orchestra or for
pianoforte. In writing for orchestra the composer naturally centres
himself on the pure ideas and their treatment, as the execution is
something entirely external to himself. In works for pianoforte,
however, the composer who is also a virtuoso will often, and quite
justifiably, introduce passages of purely pianistic effect which in
other circumstances would amount to a confession of deficient
imagination. That Liszt at times abused his facility in decoration
need not be gainsaid, and yet how poetic and eloquent are his best
pianoforte compositions!--the _Etudes_, the _Waldesrauschen_, the
_Ballade_ and, above all, the _Sonata in B minor_.[244] Much unjust
criticism has been expended upon Liszt for treating the pianoforte
like an orchestra. As a matter of fact he widened, in a perfectly
legitimate way, the possibilities of the instrument as to sonority,
wealth and variety of color-effect. According to the testimony of
contemporary colleagues, Rubinstein, Taussig and von Buelow who, had
they not been convinced of his supremacy, might well have been
jealous, Liszt was incontestably the greatest interpreter of Bach,
Beethoven and Chopin; and his power as a Beethoven scholar is attested
by the poetically annotated edition of the Sonatas. It is often
asserted that Liszt lacked spontaneous melodic invention. This is a
hard saying unless taken in a relative sense. We may grant that Liszt
was neither a Schubert nor a Mozart, and yet recognize in his works
some extremely haunting melodies. His creative power was acknowledged
by Wagner and in a very practical manner. In fact, after a comparative
study of their works, one is amazed at the number of melodies which
Wagner borrowed from Liszt and at the generous complaisance of the
latter. The reactive influence of Liszt and Wagner, each upon the
other, is an interesting chapter in the development of modern art.
Liszt was undoubtedly encouraged in his revolutionary aims by Wagner's
fiery courage. Wagner, on his side, owed much to Liszt's unselfish
generosity; and with his more powerful constructive gifts worked up
into enduring form motives which, internal evidence clearly shows,
came from Liszt himself.

[Footnote 244: For a most entertaining description of this work see
the Huneker Biography, pp. 64-70.]

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