Schenker Correspondence Project

Diary entry by Schenker, dated June [1912]

Juni. Frau Stirling¹ u. Frau Deutsch² erklären, im Monat Juni den Unterricht fortzusetzen, u. ändern dann ^aber plötzlich beide ihre Gesinnung, was im Falle Stirling zu einem Konflikt geführt hat; sie blieb nämlich in Wien u. wollte nur einfach Geld sparen. Dieser Geiz, der sich unerlaubterweise[?] schon so oft hervorgeragt hat, mußte ^endlich geahndet werden u. so schrieb ich ihr, daß ich auch den Monat Juni auf ihre Rechnung zu setzen wünsche. Dieses führte zu einem Briefwechsel, bei dessen Gelegenheit die genannte Frau ihre schmutzige Denkungsart geradezu leuchten ließ, bis ich ihr endlich die Stunde einfach kündigte. Endlich besann sich die Frau u. bat mich um Wiederaufnahme. — Frau Deutsch zog nach Baden u. versprach von dort zur Stunde zu reisen. Aber da traten plötzlich ^wieder andere Interessen in den Vordergrund u. sie hatte den Mut, ^...[?] in Baden ihren andersgearteten Vergnügungen nachzugehe[n] trotzdem sie ^{[?] zugleich} ihre unaufhörlichen Beteuerungen geglaubt haben möchte, daß die Musik ^allein u. nur die Musik ihr der Geehrtes sei. An dieser Wandlung war ^aber eine die plötzliche Wahrnehmung schuld, daß Donnerstag ein Feiertag war;³ da sie ^...[?] diese Stunde zu bezahlen gehabt hätte, zog sie vor, überhaupt keine mehr zu nehmen. End[lich?] gegen Ende des Monats bat sie mich in einer Karte um Verschiebung ihre[r ] Stunde (sie hatte aber kein Recht mehr auf meinerseits regelmäßig einzuha[ten-?] {204} de Stunden u. zwar mit der unträglichen Schmutz verelenden Begründung, sie müßte dann andernfalls ihr Diner in der Pension ohne ..[?] gegessen zu haben, begleichen u. außerdem motivierte sie, um zu ihrem Ziel zu gelangen, ihre Bitte trotz besserem Wissen damit, daß ich ja im Monate Juni schon freier wäre. So wagte die Frau zum Schaden auch noch den Spott hinzuzufügen. Ich rafinierte die Bitte u. sie mußte zur gewohnten Stunde erscheinen.

© In the public domain.
© Transcription Ian Bent, 2006.

Diary entry by Schenker, dated June [1912]

June : Mrs. Stirling¹ and Mrs. Deutsch² announce [that they wish] to continue their studies in the month of June, and ^but then both of them suddenly change their minds, which in Mrs. Stirling’s case has led to a quarrel; the truth is, she was remaining in Vienna and simply wanted to save money. This stinginess, which has already reared its head in illicit fashion[?] so often, had ^finally to be punished, and so I wrote her that I wished to put the month of June on her bill also. This led to an exchange of letters in which the said lady almost revealed her squalid way of thinking, until I finally simply canceled her lessons. Finally, the lady came to her senses, and begged me to reinstate her. — Mrs. Deutsch went off to Baden, and promised to travel to her lessons from there. But then suddenly ^{once again} other interests came to the fore, and she had the temerity ^.....[?] to pursue her other, very different pleasures in Baden, while ^{...[?] at the same time} wishing me to believe her incessant protestations that music ^alone and music alone took pride of place for her. What was ^however responsible for this change was a the sudden realization that Thursday was a holiday;³ since she ^...[?] would have had to pay for this lesson, she preferred to take no more whatsoever. Finally[?], toward the end of the month she asked me in a [post]card to move her lesson-time (she had, however, no longer any claim to regular, fixed lessons from me), {204} and, did so, moreover, on the insufferable, squalidly demeaning grounds that, failing this, she would then have to pay for her dinner in the boarding house without having eaten ...[?]; and she gave the additional reason for her request, in order to achieve her purpose, despite knowing better, that I would actually already be freer in the month of June. In so doing, the lady risked incurring my derision on top of my disfavor. I rephrased my request and she had to turn up at the customary lesson-time.

© Translation Ian Bent, 2006.

COMMENTARY:
Format: diary entry

FOOTNOTES:

¹ Mrs. Stirling: pupil of S’s who appears in the Lesson Books for 1912–13 and 1913–14.

² Mrs. Sofie Deutsch, a pupil of S’s for more than fifteen years, and a benefactress of his work. She died on January 5, 1917, leaving a legacy, a pension, and funds for stipends to composers in his hands.

³ The entry is undated within June; perhaps the first Thursday of the month is being referred to: June 7, 1913 was the feast of Corpus Christi; however, a civic holiday could be the reference here.

SUMMARY:
Stirling and Deutsch have changed their minds about lessons.

© Commentary, Footnotes, Summary Ian Bent 2006.

Bent, Ian
Schenker, Heinrich
DE
Cambridge University Faculty of Music-Ian Bent
Schenker, Heinrich; Stirling; Deutsch, Sofie; Sophie; lessons; instruction; Baden
Diary entry by Schenker, dated June, 1912
OJ 1/11, p. 203–204
1912-06-??
2006-09-22
Schenker diary
Any claim to intellectual rights on this document should be addressed to the Schenker Correspondence Project, Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge, at schenkercorrespondence@mus.cam.ac.uk.
Schenker, Heinrich (1912-1935)--Schenker, Jeanette (1935-c.1942)--Ratz, Erwin (c.1942-c.1955)--Jonas, Oswald (c.1955-1978)--University of California, Riverside (1978--)
IPR: in public domain; Image: University of California, Riverside; Transcription, Translation, Commentary, Footnotes, and Summary: Ian Bent.
Vienna
1912