« OJ 10/18, [2] 12-25-27 | Main | OJ 12/6, [1] : 2-1-28 »

OJ 9/34 [10] : 1-30-28

Handwritten letter from Cube to Schenker, dated January 30, 1928

[letterhead:] FELIX E. VON CUBE
[handwritten:]
Duisburg, Rhld.
Pulverweg 41.
30. I. 28.

Sehr verehrter Meister!

Allmählich, langsam, aber umso sicherer fassen meine hier ausgeworfenen Anker recht festen Grund. Die dritte Theorieklasse wird wohl im Laufe des Februar akut werden. Die bisherigen beiden sind bis zu den Mischungsreihen vorgedrungen.1 Wir arbeiten langsam, ohne Hast und gründlich, gründlich! –

Die Aufführung meiner Sonate ist aus Carnevalsgründen verschoben worden. Mutmasslicher Termin ist also nach Aschenmittwoch. Es sollen noch Scriabine und ein zweiter {2} Duisburger Componist – Paul Strüve – zu Gehör kommen. Ich bin bestrebt[,] den Scriabine zugunsten meiner Variationen, der Tarantelle und etzlicher Praeludien abzusetzen. –

Die Zahl meiner Privatschüler ist auf drei angewachsen. Damit beläuft sich mein Gesamtverdienst in Schillingen ausgedrückt bereits auf 380.– Nicht zu verachten! –

Kürzlich spielte ich auf einem gut gelungenen Winterfest in Anwesenheit von vierhundert Geladenen mit viel Erfolg Scarlatti, Brahms und Sachen von mir. Sowas ist beste Reklame. –

Mein Vortrag ist auf dem 3. März {3} anberaumt;2 das Manuskript bekommen Sie darnach, wie gewünscht, zugesandt. Um einem dringenden Bedürfnis abzuhelfen, wurde ich bei der letzten diesjährigen Generalversammlung der Ortsgruppe des “Reichverbandes”3 als Beisitzer in den Vorsstand gewählt. Dies ist die erste Stufe zu meinem Ziel: “Fachberater” im Kultusministerium. –

Anlässlich Ihres Geburtstages in diesem Jahre habe ich mit den grössten Buchhandlungen in Duisburg und Essen Verhandlungen zwecks einer Kollektivausstellung Ihrer Werke introduziert.4 Wird es möglich sein, dass wir hierzu zwei der Hammer-Radierungen5 von dem betreffenden Wiener Kunstverlag zur Verfügung gestellt bekommen? –

{4} Von Herrn Hobokens Aufruf6 habe ich bisher nichts vernommen (wohl aber einen sehr “lieben” Brief von Freund Otto Vrieslander7 erhalten), doch möchte ich gerne erfahren, wieweit die Unternehmung geschehen ist. –

Ansonsten lebe ich friedlich und consequent meine “Züge” weiter, (die “Urlinie” steht nur dem Meister zu),8 erfreue mich der Zuneigung guter Menschen, und – – esse sehr viel! –

Für diesmal recht herzliche Grüsse Ihnen und Ihrer Frau Gemahlin

von Ihrem
[ sign’d: ] Cube.

Von Frankfurt derzeit nichts Neues. –

© Heirs of the Felix-Eberhard von Cube, published with kind permission.
© Transcription William Drabkin, 2006.

Handwritten letter from Cube to Schenker, dated January 30, 1928

[letterhead:] FELIX E. VON CUBE
[handwritten:]
Duisburg, Rhineland
Pulverweg 41
30 January 1928

Most honoured master,

Gradually—slowly, but all the more surely—the anchors that I have thrown out are reaching quite firm ground. The third theory class will probably start up sometime in February. The other two have pressed on as far as the modal-mixture rows.1 We work slowly, without rushing things, and solidly, very solidly!

Because it is carnival season, the performance of my sonata has been delayed. It will probably take place after Ash Wednesday. The programme will probably include Scriabin and a second {2} Duisburg composer, Paul Strüve. I am trying to get the Scriabine replaced by my Variations, the Tarantella and several Preludes.

The number of my private pupils has risen to three. This means that my [monthly] income, reckoned in shillings, stands already at 380. Nothing to be ashamed of!

Recently, at a successful winter festival at which four hundred invited guests were present, I played Scarlatti, Brahms and pieces of my own with real success. That sort of thing is the best advertisement.

My lecture2 is scheduled for March 3; {3} I will send you the manuscript afterwards, as you requested. In order to help fulfil an urgent need, I was elected as junior member of the local committee at the last general meeting of the Imperial Association [of Musicians and Music Teachers].3 This is the first rung on the ladder to becoming a “specialist advisor” in the Ministry of Culture.

On the occasion of your birthday this year,4 I have made contact with the largest bookstores in Duisburg and Essen for the purpose of a collective exposition of your works. Would it be possible for us to borrow two of the Hammer engravings5 from the relevant Viennese art publishing house?

{4} I have not yet heard anything about Hoboken’s appeal6 (though I did receive a very sweet letter from our friend Otto Vrieslander7), but I would be very interested to know how far the enterprise has progressed.

Otherwise, my "linear progressions" maintain my calm and sense of
direction (the “Urlinie” belongs only to the master),8 I am grateful for the congeniality of good people, and—I eat quite a lot!

For now, most affectionate greetings to you and your wife

from your
[ sign’d: ] Cube

[P.S.] Until now, I have had no news from Frankfurt.

© Translation by William Drabkin 2006

COMMENTARY:
Format: 4-p letter, holograph message and signature
Sender address: Duisburg, Rhineland, Pulverweg 41
Recipient address: --

FOOTNOTES:

1 Mischungsreihen: these are scales based on a combination of tones taken from the major and minor scales, as discussed in Schenker’s Harmonielehre, §§41-47.

2 For earlier reference to this, see OJ 9/34, [9], October 29, 1927.

3 Click on Reichsverband deutscher Tonkünstler und Musiklehrer.

4 June 19, 1928 was the date of Schenker’s sixtieth birthday, an event that some of his pupils and associates were planning to celebrate by making his work better known in the musical world. Much of the correspondence between Cube and Schenker in 1928 is taken up with this theme.

5 The artist Viktor Hammer made an engraving of Schenker’s portrait in 1925; 100 copies of this were printed, and sold by the Viennese art shop of Artaria & Co. The image survives as OJ 72/ 6, and is incorporated into OJ 72/14, item 7. [create biogfile and link]

6 Anthony van Hoboken [create biogfile and link]. For the Aufruf, click on Aufruf. Dated November 1927, was an appeal to archives and collectors to deposit copies of composer autographs in the Austrian National Library. The initiative was financed by Anthony van Hoboken and vigorously supported by Schenker and the director of the Library’s music division, Dr. Robert Haas.

7 Otto Vrieslander [create biogfile and link].

8 Here Cube is aping Schenker’s habit of using his own terminology in a metaphorical sense.

SUMMARY:
C reports progress in his class and private teaching, performance of his compositions, his forthcoming lecture; outlines plan for an exhibition in Duisburg to celebrate S's 60th birthday; has heard nothing of Hoboken's "Aufruf."

© Commentary, Footnotes, Summary William Drabkin 2006

Drabkin, William
Cube, Felix-Eberhard von
DE
Cambridge University Faculty of Music-Ian Bent
Cube, Felix-Eberhard von; Schenker, Heinrich; theory teaching; modal mixture; private lessons; Scriabine, Alexander; Strüve, Paul; Duisburg; Variations; Tarantella; Preludes; income; Scarlatti, Domenico; Brahms; performance; lecture; Reichsverband deutscher Tonkünstler und Musiklehrer; Federal Association of German Composers and Music Teachers; Kultusministerium; Ministry of Culture; Essen; bookstores; exhibition; exposition; Hammer, Victor; Hoboken, Anthony van; Aufruf; appeal; Vrieslander, Otto; Urlinie; Frankfurt
Handwritten letter from Cube to Schenker, dated January 30, 1928
OJ 9/34, [10]
1928-01-30
2006-06-26
Cube
This document is published with the permission of the heirs of Felix-Eberhard von Cube, March 2006.
Schenker, Heinrich (1928-1935)--Schenker, Jeanette (1935-c.1942)--Ratz, Erwin (c.1942-c.1955)--Jonas, Oswald (c.1955-1978)--University of California, Riverside (1978--)
IPR: The heirs of Felix-Eberhard von Cube; Transcription, Translation, Commentary, Footnotes, and Summary: William Drabkin.
Duisburg
1928

About

This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on January 30, 1928 1:00 AM.

The previous post in this blog was OJ 10/18, [2] 12-25-27.

The next post in this blog is OJ 12/6, [1] : 2-1-28.

Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

Powered by
Movable Type 3.34