Schenker Correspondence Project

Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Jonas, dated December 18, 1932

{recto}
Postkarte

Absender:
[ stamp: ] Dr.HEINRICH SCHENKER
WIEN, III., Keilgasse 8

[An:] H [/] Dr Oswald Jonas
Berlin Schöneberg
Mühlenstr. 2

[postmark:] || 9 WIEN 40 | 19.XII.32–8 | * 4h * ||
[for message-continuation, see below]

{verso}
18.12.32

Geehrter, lieber Herr D^r Jonas!

Danke herzlichst für Ihren lieben Brief¹ u. die Beilage. Große Freude bereiteten Sie mir mit der Mitteilung, daß D^r F.² Ihnen den “Saul”³ übergeben hat. Und nur: die Orgelstimme wie überhaupt alle anderen Stimmen konnte ich nicht erreichen, weil ich – unter uns – Mühe genug gehabt habe, zu verbergen, daß ich hinter dem Rücken des unerbittlich mißgünstigen Mandycz.⁴ das Handexemplar des “S” 3 Monate lang zu hause behaltehielt. Es wird übrigens gewiß schwer halten, auf die Spur der Stimmen zu kommen. Schon haben mir H. Löwe⁵ u Schalk⁶ gesagt, daß sie die Stimmen von {recto} Brahms zwar gesehen, aber nicht klug daraus geworden sind. Mit Recht sagte mir gelegentlich D^r F., daß die späteren Dirigenten gewiß auch ihre Ein- oder Austragungen gemacht haben. – Haben Sie vielleicht V. Zuckerkandl’s⁷ Buch gesehen? Er bekennt sich allerliebst zu mir, vielleicht kann er Ihnen beistehen?

Mit bestem Gruß
Ihr
[ sign’d: ] HSch

{verso}
[ vertically along left edge of card: ]
Mit Steglich⁸ bin ich in Verbindung.

© In the public domain.
© Transcription John Rothgeb 2006.

Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Jonas, dated December 18, 1932

{recto}
Postcard

Sender:
[ stamp: ] Dr. HEINRICH SCHENKER
Vienna III, Keilgasse 8

[To:] Dr Oswald Jonas
Berlin Schöneberg
Mühlenstrasse 2

[postmark:] || 9 WIEN 40 | 19.XII.32–8 | * 4h * ||
[for message-continuation, see below]

{verso}
December 18, 1932

Dear Dr. Jonas,

Many thanks for your nice letter¹ and the enclosure. I am very happy to hear that Dr. Furtwängler² has given “Saul”³ to you. But: the organ part, and all other parts as well, I was unable to see, because, between ourselves, I had enough to do to hide the fact that behind the back of the pitilessly malevolent Mandyczewsky⁴ I kept the personal copy of “Saul” here for three months. It will, incidentally, certainly be difficult to track down the parts. Messrs. Löwe⁵ and Schalk⁶ already told me that they had indeed seen the parts by {recto} Brahms but were not able to make much of them. Dr. Furtwängler’s observation was correct that later conductors certainly would have made their insertions or excisions. —Have you by chance seen Viktor Zuckerkandl’s⁷ book? He professes most endearing allegiance to me—perhaps he can also be your ally?

With best greetings,
Yours,
[ sign’d: ] H. Schenker

{verso}
[vertically along left side of card:]
I am in contact with Steglich.⁸

© Translation John Rothgeb 2006.

COMMENTARY:
Format: printed postcard, stamped and holograph addresses, message-continuation and signature recto, message beginning and PS verso
Sender address: Vienna III, Keilgasse 8
Recipient address: Berlin Schöneberg, Mühlenstrasse 2

FOOTNOTES:

¹ OJ 12/6, [18], December 15, 1932.

² Wilhelm Furtwängler [create biogfile and link]

³ Brahms’s arrangement for performance of Handel’s Saul is among the autograph materials in the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. Schenker had transcribed and edited this document, which he subsequently gave to Furtwängler (see OJ 5/18, 9) who in turn made it available to Jonas for study and the writing of a commentary. See also OJ 12/6, [11], [18], [20], and OJ 5/18, 11, 19, 22, and 24.

⁴ Click on Eusebius Mandyczewsky.

⁵ Click on Ferdinand Löwe. See also 5/18, 47 and 59.

⁶ Click on Franz Schalk. See also 5/18, 47 and 59.

⁷ Viktor Zuckerkandl [create biogfile and link]. He was one of Schenker’s earliest pupils. (Under the pseudonym Viktor Zauner he authored “Wort und Ton bei Mozart” in Der Dreiklang 2 [May 1937], 41-52.) The book mentioned here may have been Musikalische Gestaltung der großen Opernpartien (Berlin-Schöneberg: Hesse, 1932).

⁸ Rudolph Steglich (1886-1976), German musicologist, pupil of Hugo Riemann, editor of the Händel-Jahrbuch 1928–33; see OJ 12/6, [18].

SUMMARY:
Acks OJ 12/6, [11] and answers J's question concerning the organ-part of Handel/Brahms Saul. —Asks if J has seen Zuckerkandl's book.

© Commentary, Footnotes, Summary John Rothgeb 2006.

Rothgeb, John
Schenker, Heinrich
DE
Cambridge University Faculty of Music-Ian Bent
Schenker, Heinrich; Jonas, Oswald; Handel; Saul; Brahms; Furtwängler, Wilhelm; Mandyczewski, Eusebius; Löwe, Ferdinand; Schalk, Franz: Zuckerkand, Viktor
Handwritten letter from Schenker to Jonas, dated December 18, 1932
OJ 5/18, 21
1932-12-18
2006-06-27
Jonas
This document is deemed to be in the public domain as of January 1, 2006. Any claim to intellectual rights should be addressed to the Schenker Correspondence Project, Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge, at schenkercorrespondence@mus.cam.ac.uk.
Oswald Jonas (1932-1978)—Special Collections, University of California, Riverside (1978-)
IPR: In the public domain; Image: Special Collections, University of California, Riverside; Transcription, Translation, Commentary, Footnotes, and Summary: John Rothgeb.
Vienna
1932