About this time I was persuaded to undertake the directorship of
the augmented orchestra in view of the performance of some
musical masterpieces at three concerts to be given early in the
new year under the auspices of the Societe Musicale on conditions
arranged in advance.

It gave me infinite pleasure on one of these occasions to conduct
an excellent performance of Beethoven's music to Egmont. As
Herwegh was so anxious to hear some of my own music I gave the
Tannhauser Overture, as I told him, entirely to please him, and I
prepared a descriptive programme as a guide. I also succeeded in
giving an excellent rendering of the Coriolanus Overture, to
which I had also written an explanatory programme. All this was
taken up with so much sympathy and enthusiasm by my friends that
I was induced to accede to the request of Lowe, who was at that
time manager of the theatre, and implored me to give a
performance of the Fliegender Hollander. For the sake of my
friends I agreed to enter into negotiations with the opera
company, an undertaking which, though it only lasted a very short
time, was exceedingly objectionable. It is true that humane
considerations animated me as well, as the performance was for
the benefit of Schoneck, a young conductor, whose real talent for
his art had completely won me over to him.

The efforts which this unaccustomed excursion into the regions of
opera rehearsals, etc., cost me, greatly contributed to the
overwrought state of my nerves, and I was obliged, in spite of
all my rooted prejudices against doctors, to break faith with
myself and, in accordance with the Wesendonck's special
recommendation, to place myself in the hands of Dr. Rahn-Escher,