Schenker Correspondence Project

Diary entry by Schenker, in Jeanette Schenker's hand, dated December 29, 1916

29. XII. 16 [...] An Halm Brief abgeschickt:¹ teile ihm mit, daß ich im Besitze seines Buches² bin; daß ich ihm auch zustimme bezüglich der Notwendigkeit, unsere gemeinsamen Punkte zu betonen, bevor die trennenden erwogen werden; nur bemerke ich, daß meiner Tendenz gegenüber der Begriff eines Gegners|³ so ziemlich unangebracht ist. Diese ^selbst ist ^vielmehr absolut u. geht darauf hinaus, die Lehre der Stimmführung und Harmonie so zu fassen, daß sie zeige, wie Kunst und Theorie im Grunde einen einheitlichen, untrennbaren Begriff vorstellen. Teile ihm ferner mit, daß in II²|⁴ der Nachweis ^nur weniger Urgesetze geführt wird, an die sich die Musiker gehalten haben, sowie zu verhalten haben werden, um desto sicherer die unendlichen Veränderlichkeiten auszuwirken; erkläre, mit wirklichem Interesse dem angekündigten Aufsatz entgegenzusehen u. endlich auch die Bereitschaft, bei Hertzka zu intervenieren wegen der „Klavierübung“. –An Hertzka (Br.): Vorfrage, ob er noch vor Friedensabschluß Halms [Werk?] zu sehen wünscht.⁵ – [...]

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

Diary entry by Schenker, in Jeanette Schenker's hand, dated December 29, 1916

December 29, 1916 [...] Letter sent to Halm:¹ I tell him that I possess a copy of his book²; that I also agree with him regarding the necessity to emphasize the points we have in common before considering those on which we differ; I merely remark that, contrary to my inclinations, the notion of an adversary|³ is somewhat inappropriate. ^Moreover, the latter is ^itself absolute and results in conceiving the teaching of voice-leading and harmony such that it shows how art and theory are in essence a single, inseparable concept. Moreover, I tell him that in II/2⁴ the evidence will be presented of ^still fewer basic laws to which musicians have adhered, and will have to restrict themseves, in order to procure all the more securely endless variant forms; I say that I look forward with genuine interest to the article about which he tells me, and finally that I am also prepared to intervene with Hertzka regarding his Klavierübung. – To Hertzka (letter): preliminary inquiry as to whether he wishes to see Halm’s [work?] before the conclusion of the peace treaty.⁵ – [...]

© Translation Ian D. Bent and Lee Rothfarb, 2006.

COMMENTARY:
Format: diary entry

FOOTNOTES:

¹ i.e. the letter of which OJ 1/B9 is a draft; this finished letter appears not to have survived, nor has any previous letter from Halm to S.

² August Halm, Von zwei Kulturen der Musik (Munich: G. Müller, 1913).

³ All three underlinings in this entry are done not by the writer but in crayon, probably by Heinrich.

⁴ Schenker, Kontrapunkt: zweiter Halbband: Drei- und Mehrstimmiger Satz, published UE, 1922.

⁵ WSLB 276, from Schenker to Hertzka, dated December 29, 1916.

SUMMARY:
Letter to Halm referring to their agreements and disagreements; undertaking to approach Hertzka regarding publication of Halm's Klavierübung.

© Commentary, Footnotes, Summary Ian D. Bent 2006.

Bent, Ian
Schenker, Heinrich
Letter to Halm referring to their agreements and disagreements; undertaking to approach Hertzka regarding publication of Halm's Klavierübung.
DE
Cambridge University Faculty of Music-Ian Bent
IPR: In the public domain; Transcription, Translation, Commentary, Footnotes, and Summary: Ian D. Bent and Lee Rothfarb, 2006.
Schenker, Heinrich; Halm, August; Gegner; adversary; NMTP II/2; Kontrapunkt2; Counterpoint2; Urgesetze; basic laws; Klavierübung; Hertzka, Emil; UE/dc:subject>
Diary entry by Schenker, dated December 29, 1916
diary entry
academic; musicology; music theory
OJ 2/12, p.55?
1916-12-29
2006-04-11
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.
holograph diary entry
Schenker, Heinrich (1916-1935)--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 D. Bent and Lee Rothfarb.
Vienna
1916