June 13 Bellini-Liszt Reminiscences de Norma [Liszt then played part, went into detail
on accents, correct embellishments, advised on dynamics]
June 20 X. Scharwenka Piano Concerto (witrh Reisenauer at the second piano)
July 2 Schumann Novelletes from opus 21 [‘Liszt insisted on great fire and very clean
playing’]
July 4 Chopin Etude in A minor opus 25 no. 11 [Liszt commented: ‘Play the basses loud
and make the rhythm emerge sharply.’
1885
July 3 Rubinstein Piano Concerto no. 5 (with Friedheim at the second piano)
July 6 Sgambati Piano Concerto opus 15 (Miss Mettler, solo; Sauer at the second piano)’
Liszt’s American pupil Carl Lachmund kept a journal of his time with Liszt and noted
‘Emil Sauer was another newcomer of high promise. He played with splendid rhythm.’
Lachmund also noted ‘at another lesson Sauer played the Schumann Toccata, and
splendidly.’
Sauer’s experience at Liszt’s masterclasses was tainted by the presence of many
‘creatures devoid of talent’ who abused Liszt’s generosity and took time away from ‘men
of ability, of true devotion to Liszt, [who] were obliged modestly to take a back seat or
were shoved aside by toadies and sycophants.’
On one occasion Sauer heard Liszt play the piano part of Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata
for violin and piano. Sauer afterwards screamed in delight while turning cartwheels, as
noted in Arthur Friedheim’s autobiography.
Liszt was fond of Sauer and often invited him over for a game of whist.
In 1901, Sauer reflected on Liszt’s teaching:
‘It should not be imagined that this consisted of lessons in the usual sense; rather they
were like university lectures, which anyone could attend or cut at pleasure. Although
they were interesting for laymen and duffers, just as any aperçu from the mouth of a
brilliant man, such persons learn as little as anyone does who attends a university without
prior grammar-school education.’
In 1934 Sauer was invited to Paris by Marguerite Long to give masterclasses, after
decades of prominence and recognition as a Liszt pupil and commented: