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OJ 5/18, 43 : 6-24-34

Handwritten letter from Schenker to Jonas, dated June 24, 1934

Böckstein, Kurhaus
(Salzburg)
24.6.34

Geehrter, lieber Herr Dr Jonas!

Ihr lieber Brief vom 11.61 hat mich in den letzten Vorbereitungen zur Sommerausfahrt angetroffen, am 15. wagten wir, trotz allen Nazis, die Bahnfa[h]rt. Nun da wir hier einigermaßen den Sommerapparat hier schon handzuhaben gelernt haben, will ich nicht erst das Erscheinen Ihres für den 22. angekündigten Buches2 abwarten. (Vergessen Sie nicht, dem Verlag meine Bestellung von 5 Ex. zu wiederholen.)

Furtw.3 hat mich diesmal besucht u. einen {2} Besuch sogar für den Sommer zugesagt, um mehr Zeit für unsere Unterhaltung zu gewinnen u. mir außerdem seine Kompositionen zeigen zu können. Er war sehr, sehr herzlich, sprach ganz rückhaltslos über die trüben Dinge. Auch war er sonst sehr herzlich gegenüber Bamberger,4 Violin,5 Breisach|6 u.a. öffentlich, im Künstlerzimmer usw. Daraus möchte ich den Schluß ziehen, daß er auch Ihnen gegenüber die alte Linie beibehalten wird.

Erfreulich ist Alles, was Sie über Ihre Möglichkeiten (Fischer,7 Schneider8 usw.) schreiben. Das Erfreulichste wäre freilich die Verbindung mit Hob.;9 ich kann mir {3} denken, was er plant, aber sein Geheimstes dabei ist geradezu unaussprechlich, jedenfalls unaufschreibbar, also muß ich warten, bis ich Sie vielleicht zu sehen bekommen. Die Publikationen, von denen er spricht, gehören in den Kreis meiner Anregungen an ihn, so schlösse sich schön der Ring der Stoffe u. Mitarbeiter.

Worauf Brahms anspielt, ist Beeth’s Notierung in op. 110 [musical example]10 usw (mit Fingersatzwechsel), nur weiß ich von hier nicht ebenso bestimmt zu sagen, wo er die gleiche Notierung angewandt hat. Ich werde übrigens nachdenken.

Bald beginnt der Druck u. Stich des “fr. S.”11 Inzwischen wollen wir uns Beide von den uner- {4} hörten 3-jährigen, durch keine Pause (!) unterbrochenen geistigen, id est psychischen12 Strapazen erholen, die andere Menschenkinder vielleicht ganz umgeworfen[corr] hätten. Gott sei gedankt, daß er uns so gesund ins Leben ließ. Nun sind wir am Werk der Erholung, die uns fernerhin zustatten kommen soll.

Beste Wünsche für Ihren Sommer von uns Beiden

Ihr herzlich ergebener
[ sign’d: ] H Schenker

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

Handwritten letter from Schenker to Jonas, dated June 24, 1934

Böckstein, Kurhaus
(Salzburg)
June 24, 1934

Dear Dr. Jonas,

Your nice letter of June 111 reached me during the last preparations for summer holiday; on the 15th, in spite of all Nazis, we ventured the train trip. As we have now in some sense already learned to deal with the paraphernalia of summer here, I will not delay until the appearance of your book2 announced for the 22nd. (Don’t forget to repeat to the publisher my order of five copies.)

Furtwängler3 visited me this time and has even promised a {2} visit for the summer, to provide more time for our conversation and also to be able to show me his compositions. He was very, very cordial, spoke quite unreservedly about the sad affairs. And he was moreover very cordial regarding Bamberger,4 Violin,5 Breisach6 among others, in the greenroom etc. From that I would like to conclude that he will keep to the previous track concerning you as well.

Everything you write about your opportunities (Fischer,7 Schneider,8 etc.) is gratifying. Most gratifying of all, of course, would be the relationship to Hoboken;9 I can {3} imagine what he is planning, but his most covert design is downright inexpressible, in any case unwritable, thus I must wait until I might have a chance to see you. The publications of which he speaks are along the lines of my suggestions to him, so the circle of subjects and co-workers would be neatly closed.

What Brahms is alluding to is Beethoven’s notation in Op. 110 [musical example]10 etc. (with alternation of fingers); but here I cannot say quite so definitely where he used the same notation. I will, by the by, give it some thought.

Printing and engraving ofFree Composition|11 begins soon. In the interim we want to refresh ourselves after the {4} unprecedented 3-year mental, i.e. psychic,12 ordeal that has been uninterrupted by any kind of break and which would perhaps have devastated other mere mortals. Thanks be to God that He has granted us such good health in our life. Now we are at the work of recuperation, which should stand us in good stead for the future.

Best wishes for your summer from both of us,

Yours most cordially,
[ sign’d: ] H. Schenker

© Translation John Rothgeb 2006.

COMMENTARY:
Format: 4-p letter, oblong format, holograph message and signature
Sender address: Böckstein, Kurhaus, (Salzburg)
Recipient address: --

FOOTNOTES:

1 OJ 12/6, [32], June 11, 1934.

2 Jonas’s Das Wesen des musikalischen Kunstwerks: Eine Einführung in die Lehre Heinrich Schenkers (Vienna: Saturn-Verlag, 1934).

3 Wilhelm Furtwängler [create biogfile and link].

4 Click on Carl Bamberger.

5 Click on Moriz Violin.

6 Click on Paul Breisach.

7 Click on Edwin Fischer.

8 Max Schneider (1875-1967), German musicologist. The Zeitschrift für Musikwissenschaft was the principal organ of the Deutsche Musikgesellschaft, founded in 1918, and was edited by Alfred Einstein until he was removed in 1933 and Schneider took over.

9 Click on Anthony van Hoboken.

10 Op. 110, mvt. 3, m. 5.

11 Der freie Satz, NMTP III, published by UE, 1935.

12 The German word could be read as "physisch," which is very similar in appearance. This would introduce a semantic anomaly, however: "id est" strictly equates the entities it connects; while "psychic" is more or less the same as "mental," "physical" obviously is not.

SUMMARY:
Acks OJ 12/6, [32]; reports on visit from Furthwängler, and reacts to news in J's letter; Brahms on Beethoven's notation; printing of Der freie Satz begins soon.

© Commentary, Footnotes, Summary John Rothgeb 2006.

Rothgeb, John
Schenker, Heinrich
DE
Cambridge University Faculty of Music-Ian Bent
Schenker, Heinrich; Jonas, Oswald; Jonas’s Wesen des musikalischen Kunstwerks; Einführung in die Lehre Heinrich Schenkers; Nazis; Furtwängler, Wilhelm; visit; Bamberger, Carl; Violin, Moriz; Breisach, Paul; Fischer, Edwin; Scheider, Max; Hoboken, Anthony van; Brahms; Beethoven; Op. 110; Der freie Satz; Free Composition; printing; engraving
Handwritten letter from Schenker to Jonas, dated June 24, 1934
OJ 5/18, 43
1934-06-24
2006-09-02
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 (1934-1978)—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
1934

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