Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated December 2, 1909] Sehr geehrter Herr ! Die Absendung der Korrektur, die am 29/11 bei Ihnen eingetroffen sein dürfte, nehme ich zur Veranlassung, mich wegen der neuerlichen2 Einschaltung, u. des gleichsam in letzter Stunde3 dadurch4 etwas verzögerten Tempo in der Fertigstellung des Halbbands zu entschuldigen. So sehr ich5 zunächst doch selbst das größte Interesse habe, den letzteren endlich der Öffentlichkeit zu übergeben, zwingen mich besondere Umstände zu kleineren6 Einschaltungen dennoch unvermeidlich. Erstens ist die Spaltung des Bandes Ursache davon, daß ich dem Leser7 ersparen muß, ein Jahr lang auf die dringende Lösung eines besonders wichtigen Problems zu warten8; d.h. wo es durchaus notwendig war, müßte ich Einiges aus dem II. Hbd vorausnehmen, der ja erst ein Jahr später folgen kann. (Solcher kleinen Einschaltungen aber wird es bis ans Ende des Halbbandes nur mehr 2 geben.) Zweitens mußte ich mit den neuesten Publikationen Schritt halten, u.[ corr ] gerade rechtzeitig einige9 Polemik anbringen. Anderseits aber könnte eine kleine Verzögerung für den I Hbd – ich verplichte mich dieser spätestens in 6 Wochen vollständig druckfertig zu machen –10 {2} vielleicht sogar von Vorteil sein. Dann möglicherweise bin ich bis dahin11 in der Lage, schon den I Hbd mit dem Titel eines K. K. Professors für Komposition u. Theorie an der Hochschule ( Akademie ) in Wien|12 zu zeichnen.13 Es besteht die Absicht, gerade mich für diese leitende Stelle mit allen möglichen Vorteilen an Ehre u. Honorar zu wählen, meinen Theorien die Hochschule14 vorbehaltlos zu öffnen u. dgl. mehr. Freilich giebt es da auch noch15 Differenzen, u. erst16 von der Beilegung der letzteren wird es aber17 abhängen, ob ich die Freiheit zu opfern endgiltig mich werde18 entschließen können. Denn in erster Linie strebe ich an, die Gunst des Schicksals, das mir einen Mäzen geschenkt hat,19 auszunützen [ corr ], u. zum Wohl u. Besten einer kommenden Musikrenaissance|20 das einmal21 begonnene Werk zu vollenden u. namentlich doch den Bd. III, als den Mittelpunkt des Gesammtwerkes,22 auf den Markt zu bringen. Auch bin ich übrigens23 des Erfolges schon des II[corr] Bd., des “Kontrapunktes” – u. zw. des Erfolges auch, in buchhändlerischer, pekuniärer Hinsicht – damit sicher, daß ich derzeit bei privaten Erteilen25 von Musikunterricht26 u. in Einsamkeit lieber noch24 wirtschaftliche Nachteile erleide, also27 mit persönlicher Aufopferung die Arbeit fortsetze, bevor ich diese, wohl28 bei Ehre u. Geldvorteil nach außen, doch allerhand unvermeidliche Reibungen dennoch gefährde.29 Es ist ja nur30 die Anonymität, die den Bd. I vorläufig um der buchhändlerischen Erfolg gebracht hat. Denn, wie ich es hier31 {3} täglich selbst32 erfahre, dozieren mehrere der33 angesehensten u. radikalsten Lehrer bereits nach meinen Theorien über „Stufe“, „Tonart“ etc. u. nur eben34 die Anonymität giebt ihnen leider noch35 die Möglichkeit, den Urheber der Theorien selbst vor den Schülern verschweigen zu können36, welch letzteres Mittel ja übrigens zu allen Zeiten das hauptsächlichste Element eines37 geistigen Raubbaues gebildet hat38. Und mehr als das: der Verfasser einer39 Harmonielehre, die sich40 heute einer großen Verbreitung erfreut, H. Louis|41 in München (der verstorbene H. Thuille|41 war Ich freue mich daher ordentlich48 darauf, daß, wie wir seinerzeit vereinbart haben, bei Gelegenheit des Erscheinens des I Hbd. auch49 der Titel des I Bd. umgedruckt u.50 meinen Namen zeigen wird. In Verbindung mit dem “_Kp._“ wird dann51 auch das I Bd – dessen bin ich sicher – trotz seiner unleugbar größeren, mit dem Stoff selbst leider naturgemäß verbundenen Schwierigkeiten52, bessere Forschritte machen. Nochmals also Entschuldigung wegen der kleinen Verzögerung erbittend Zeichne hochachtungsvoll ergeben © Universal Edition A.G., Wien. |
Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated December 2, 1909] Dear Sir, Since the batch of corrected proofs that I sent on November 29 should by now have reached you, I take this opportunity to apologize for the recent incorporation of new2 material, and the so-to-speak last-minute3 somewhat reduced speed of completion of the half-volume that has resulted from this. While having5 the very greatest possible interest in surrendering the latter at long last for publication, particular circumstances have driven me unavoidably to make some small-scale6 insertions. First of all, the division of the volume [into two] has obliged me to save the reader7 from having to wait8 a whole year for the urgently needed solution to a particularly important problem; that is, where absolutely imperative, I have had to anticipate some things from the second half-volume, since the latter has no chance of appearing in less than a year’s time. (There will, however, be only two more such short insertions between here and the end of the volume.) Secondly, I needed to keep abreast of the newest publications, and insert some9 polemical passages at the right points. On the other hand, however, a short delay for the first half-volume—which I undertake to have completely ready for printing by at most six weeks from now—10 {2} may actually turn out to be beneficial. By that time11, I may well be in a position to identify13 myself even in the first half-volume with the title of an Imperial-Royal Professor of Composition and Theory at the [Music] High School (Academy) in Vienna.12 There is a plan to appoint me to this leading post with all the possible advantages of honor and remuneration, to open up the High School14 to my theories without impediment, and other suchlike things. Admittedly, differences still15 remain over this, and on the reconciling of these will entirely16 depend, however,17 whether I shall ultimately18 be able to make up my mind to sacrifice my freedom. For in the first place I aspire to take advantage of the favor that fate has granted me in sending me a patron19; and to complete the work I have already21 begun in the interests of bringing about a musical20 renaissance; and that means in particular putting on the market vol. III, the mid-point of the work [i.e. NMTP ] in its entirety.22 Incidentally23, so confident am I of the success of vol. II, Counterpoint_—of its success in commercial and pecuniary terms, too, moreover—that at the present time I still24 prefer to suffer commercial disadvantages by giving25 private music instruction26 and working in isolation, hence27 pursuing my work with personal sacrifice, than to jeopardize that work, albeit28 with outward honor and financial advantage, through a host of inevitable frictions.29 It is in fact only30 its anonymity that has robbed vol. I temporarily of commercial success. For, as I know from my own32 daily experience {3} here31, several of33 the most reputed and radical teachers already lecture according to my theories of “scale-degree,” “key,” etc., and it is that anonymity alone34 that unfortunately still35 makes it possible36 for them to conceal the identity of the actual originator of those theories from their pupils. And this, incidentally, amounts38 for all time to the nub of any37 exploitation of intellectual property. And more than that: the author of a39 _Theory of Harmony that today enjoys wide distribution, Louis41 in Munich (the late Thuille42 was his coauthor in the work) only a few days ago in a concert review in43 the Münchner Neue Nachrichten used a concept that was first invented by myself along45 with the terminology belonging to it, although46 he himself had used a quite different concept and terminology for it47 in his own book. I am awfully48 delighted that, as we agreed previously, on the occasion of the appearance of the first half-volume the title-page of vol. I will also be reprinted and50 will bear my name. Vol. I—I am sure of this—will then51, in conjunction with Counterpoint, also make progress despite its undeniably greater difficulties52, which are unfortunately associated with the very nature of its subject-matter. Once again, asking your forgiveness for the short delay, I remain With kind regards, © Translation Ian D. Bent 2005. |
COMMENTARY: FOOTNOTES: 1 OJ 5/6, [4] is a draft of the letter. Since draft and final letter are relatively similar, I have conflated the two. This transcription and translation presents the final version, and footnotes the variants in the draft. At the head of the draft there appears, in Schenker’s hand: “an Cotta, 2. 12. 09.” (To Cotta, December 2, 1909). 2 neuerlichen (recent): not in draft. 3 gleichsam in letzter Stunde (so-to-speak last-minute): not in draft. 4 um in draft at this point. 5 begreiflicherweise (understandably) in draft. 6 kleinen in draft. 7 bezw. Schüler (or student) in draft. 8 erwarten in draft, but with “er” deleted. 9 instead of einige (some), draft has die . 10 entire parenthesis not in draft. 11 bis dahin deleted in the draft and a half-legible insertion made below the line, perhaps zum Zwttg der falschen (??). 12 i.e. the Vienna Conservatory of Music, which had since January 1, 1909 acquired the title K. k. Akademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst. See Diary, OJ 1/5, p.78, 2-15-08, which records that S had an interview with its president Dr. Karl von Wiener “on the matter of the Imperial-Royal Professorship in Theory.” S reports there one objection that was made to the plans he outlines, and his response. It is interesting that S is holding out hopes of this appointment so long (22 months) after that “awkward conversation.” Cf the discussion of a possible grant from the Academy in 1914 in which S says to Hertzka “Meanwhile, do not set any store by the Academy front, for the two un-notables of the Institute, Messrs. Bopp and Wiener, are hostile to me since I have not been prepared to “kowtow” to their knaveries and incivilities toward me.” WSLB 214 5-25-14. 13 signieren (sign) in draft. 14 Akademie in draft. 15 da ... noch (still ... over this) not in draft. 16 erst inserted interlinearly in draft. 17 aber (however) not in draft. 18 endgiltig (ultimately) and werde (shall) inserted interlinearly in draft. 19 Mäcen schenkte in draft. This is undoubtedly an allusion to Baron Alphons von Rothschild, who paid the publications costs of Harmonielehre and Kontrapunkt I. (At this time, S had several private patrons.) 20 Kunstrenaissance (artistic renaissance) in draft. In the preceding phrase, Wohl u. and kommenden are inserted interlinearly in draft. 21 einmal (already) inserted interlinearly in draft. 22 Schenker had been planning to release his Der Niedergang der Kompositionskunst: eine technisch-kritische Untersuchung (The Decline of the Art of Composition: a technical-critical Inquiry), originally intended as the Nachwort (Afterword) to Harmonielehre (CA 5–6, November 22, 1905), but which had expanded such that it was subsequently detached and scheduled to appear six months after Harmonielehre (i.e. in May 1907: OJ 9/31, [9], June 5, 1906) as a separate "supplementary publication" (Harmonielehre, p.VII, trans. p. xxvi), presumably in the form of a pamphlet or booklet. S subsequently reconceived it as vol. III of NMTP (CA 68, September 13, 19078) and the "capstone" (Pointe) of the entire work. In 1908 he was still speaking of it in these terms (CA 87, October 13, 1908). Now, with the splitting of Kontrapunkt into two half-volumes, he speaks of it, interestingly, as the Mittelpunkt of the work. 23 übrigens not in draft. 24 noch (still) not in draft. 25 „giving“: Erteilen, not in draft, and implies „bestows“ rather than mere giving. 26 bei privatem Musikunterricht u. inserted interlinearly in draft. 27 also (hence) inserted interlinearly in draft. 28 diese, wohl (this, albeit): die letztere (the latter) in draft. 29 In the draft, this previous sentence is subject to much moving of blocks of text as well as the interlinear insertions noted. 30 übrigens in draft. 31 hier (here): by this S means Vienna, as against Stuttgart or Germany. S makes this allegation of intellectual theft in Viennese circles frequently. 32 selbst inserted interlinearly in draft. 33 mehrere der (several of the) inserted interlinearly, and die (the) deleted, in draft. 34 nur (alone) inserted interlinearly in draft. 35 noch (still) inserted interlinearly in draft. 36 zu können inserted interlinearly in draft. 37 eines in draft, omitted from final letter. 38 gewesen ist (has been) deleted and gebildet hat inserted interlinearly in draft. 39 der (of the) deleted and einer (of a) inserted interlinearly in draft. 40 sie in draft. 41 H. R. Louis in draft. 42 Komponist Thuille in draft. S’s allusion is to Rudolf Louis and Ludwig Thuille: Harmonielehre (Stuttgart: Carl Grüninger Nachf., 1907, 2/1908, 3/1910, 10/1933). Louis (1870–1914) had also by then already written books on Wagner (1898), Liszt (1900), Berlioz (1904), and Bruckner (1904); Thuille (1861–1907). See also CA 68, September 13, 1907 for a reference to Thuille and the dispute with Riemann over prior claim. 43 in einem Feuilleton in dem (in a feulleton in the) in draft. 44 bereits inserted interlinearly in draft. 45 sowie in draft. 46 obwohl in draft. 47 dafür (for it) not in draft. 48 ordentlich (awfully) not in draft. There is no paragraph break in the draft at the beginning of the sentence, and the new line in the final letter may be fortuitous; however, I have forced a new paragraph on the grounds of the sense. 49 auch (also) inserted interlinearly in draft. 50 umgedruckt u. (reprinted and) inserted interlinearly in draft. 51 dann (then) not in draft. 52 Schwierigkeit (difficulty) in draft. SUMMARY: © Commentary, Footnotes, Summary Ian D. Bent 2005.
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