Schenker Correspondence Project

Handwritten letter from Halm to Schenker, dated December 14, 1918

Eßlingen, 14.12.18
[ personal stamp: ]
Aug. Halm
ESSLINGEN a.N.
Panorama 11

Sehr geehrter Herrn Professor!

Ich muß mich wieder, von dem Zeitmangel bedrängt, kurz fassen: Also, die Hilfe durch das Stipendium ist mir sehr willkommen.¹ Der Kurs der Kronen u. Mark kenne ich nicht u. er kann sich jeden Tag ändern. Einen Vertrauensmann geschäftlicher Natur habe ich in Wien nicht. Vielleicht wäre es das Beste, ich ließe in Wien direkt eine Komposition stechen u. drucken—etwa ein zweites Heft Kammermusik.²

Haben Sie eigentlich diese Sachen (Kammermusik I, dann für Streichorchester: C moll-Konzert; Prälud. u. Fuge C moll, ein gleiches in F moll) erhalten? Ich vermute, daß entweder die {2} (durch m. Verlag G.A. Zumsteeg in Stuttgart besorgte) Sendung, oder ein Brief von Ihnen verloren gegangen ist.²

Die neusten Dinge haben mir, soweit ich jetzt sehe, zum mindesten nicht mehr geschadet als es der ganze Krieg getan hat; vielleicht komme ich sogar unter der neuen Regierung eher ans Licht. Aber es läßt sich noch nichts sagen. Ich muß schliessen, bald will ich mehr schreiben, für jetzt nur das Nötigste.

Bestens begrüß ich Sie.

Ihr ergebener [ sign’d: ] August Halm

© In the public domain; published with the agreement of the heirs of August Halm 2006.
© Transcription Lee Rothfarb, 2006.

Handwritten letter from Halm to Schenker, dated December 14, 1918

Eßlingen, 14.12.18
[ personal stamp: ]
Aug. Halm
ESSLINGEN a.N.
Panorama[straße] 11

Dear Professor,

Again, beset by lack of time, I must be brief. The assistance of the stipend is very welcome.¹ I do not know the exchange rate between Crowns and Marks, and it can change daily. I do not have a trusted business collaborator in Vienna. Maybe it would be best if I had a composition engraved and printed directly in Vienna—perhaps a second volume of chamber music.²

Have you actually received those things (Chamber Music I, then for string orchestra: C minor Concerto, Prelude and Fugue in C minor, another in F minor)? I presume that either the {2} mailing (arranged through my publisher G.A. Zumsteeg in Stuttgart) or a letter from you has been lost.²

So far as I see now, the newest events have at least damaged me no more than the whole war; maybe I will actually come to light [as a composer] sooner under the new government. But nothing can be said yet. I must close, soon I want to write more, for now just the most necessary.

Sending you all the best,

Yours truly [ sign’d: ] August Halm

© Translation Lee Rothfarb, 2006.

COMMENTARY:
Format: 2-p letter, holograph message and signature
Sender address: Esslingen a.M., Panoramastraße 11
Recipient address: --

FOOTNOTES:

¹ S sent H 856 Marks, perhaps to defray publication costs for H, in which case S may have procured the money from one of his Viennese patrons.

² H writes continuously at this point, using em-dash as separator. Kammermusik, vol. 1, containing Prelude and Fugue in Eb major and in F minor for string quartet, and Little Suite in G minor for string trio, was published by Zwissler (Wolfenbüttel-Stuttgart, 1916). The C-minor Concerto for string orchestra was published by Bärenreiter (Kassel, 1915). Further, Prelude and Fugue in F minor for string orchestra (Stuttgart: Zumsteeg, 1916); Prelude and Fugue in C minor (Wolfenbüttel: Zwissler, 1918). A piano version of the C-minor fugue was published in volume 4 of Halm’s compositions for piano (Stuttgart: Zumsteeg, 1911).

SUMMARY:
Thanks S for assistance over stipend; asks if S has received compositions sent to him; H's post-War prospects may be better.

© Commentary, Footnotes, Summary Lee A. Rothfarb 2006

Rothfarb, Lee
Halm, August
Thanks S for assistance over stipend; asks if S has received compositions sent to him; H's post-War prospects may be better.
DE
Cambridge University Faculty of Music-Ian Bent
Halm, August; Schenker, Heinrich; Zumsteeg, G. A.; Stuttgart; exchange rate; Kammermusik I; C minor Concerto; Prelude & Fugue; World War II
Handwritten letter from Halm to Schenker, dated December 14, 1918
letter
academic; musicology; music theory
OJ 11/35, 10
1918-12-14
2006-03-09
Halm
This document is deemed to be in the public domain as of January 1, 2000, and is published with the agreement of the heirs of August Halm 2006.
holograph message and signature
Schenker, Heinrich (1918-1935)--Schenker, Jeanette (1935-c.1942)--Ratz, Erwin (c.1942-c.1955)--Jonas, Oswald (c.1955-1978)--University of California, Riverside (1978--)
IPR: In the public domain; Image: University of California, Riverside; Transcription, Translation, Commentary, Footnotes, and Summary: Lee Rothfarb.
Stuttgart
1918