He wrote to me that ‘das Concert wird grossartig’, and to Mrs Richter that he was astonished at the choir of 300 ladies, all of whom he said were from the best families, and who brought their relations to the rehearsals to the number of two thousand. I wish that he had not gone to London simply for this one concert, for in his absence were given the only two performances of Götterdämmerung. Although a better and more artistic performance could hardly be possible, still I should have preferred to have seen Richter at the desk instead of Kapellmeister Fuchs, who although a very good general conductor has not studied the Ring des Nibelungen so thoroughly.

On Friday I was with Mrs Richter in the third concert of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde. In the programme were included the new work for chorus and orchestra by Brahms, Nänie (Schiller), a new scherzo by Hugo Reinhold, a resident composer of not very remarkable ability, and the F minor concerto of Chopin performed by Frau Essipoff. The new work of Brahms was a comparative failure. It met with hardly any applause, partly owing to its excessive length and to the absolute lack of all melody, and to the monotonous repetition of the words. The scherzo, though more fit for the ballet than the Musikverein, was, on the contrary, very well received, which shows the taste of the Viennese public. Essipoff 's playing was simply perfect!