《我的生平——第一卷》

Wagner’s hack work multiplies: Pillet does not reply for months, so Wagner works on Rienzi and interrupts for Gazette assignments. Schlesinger makes him write a cornet à pistons method, gives him five existing methods to cobble into a sixth, then releases him and orders 14 cornet suites arranged from 60 piano opera scores, which Wagner marks and arranges around his worktable for easy access. Mid-work, cornet player Schlitz declares Wagner knows nothing about the instrument, uses keys too high for Parisian players, keeps the work he did complete only if Wagner shares the fee with him, and takes the rest of the assignment off his hands, leaving Wagner broke again. By November 19, he finishes the voluminous Rienzi, and decides to offer it to the Dresden Court Theatre, where he has contacts: tenor Tichatschek is perfect for the lead, Schröder-Devrient tried for years to get his Feen produced there, theatre secretary Hofrat Winkler is an old family friend, and conductor Reissiger an old acquaintance. He writes appeals to director Lüttichau and the King of Saxony, and sends the score off. To mark tempi, he borrows a metronome, and one foggy morning goes to return it, chasing his stolen dog Robber through misty streets after the animal recognizes him but flees memories of past chastisements, losing him near St. Roch, heartbroken and seeing it as a bad omen. His day of money-raising goes no better: he begs his brother-in-law Heinrich Brockhaus for help and is rejected, waits hours at Schlesinger’s office with no success, and goes home after dark to find Minna has borrowed a little from Brix to make him a meal.