Schenker Correspondence Project

Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 13, 1906

[ not in Schenker’s hand: ] Schenker

[ in Schenker’s hand: ] Wien, 13. 10. 06

Sehr geehrter Herr !

Anbei übersende ich die gewünschte „Unterlage“,¹ mit der Sie nach Belieben schalten wollen. Doch würde ich es für sehr wünschenswert halten, daß unter allen Umständen – die Reduction dieser Ankündigung mag ausfallen, wie Sie wollen² – der Generalplan des ganzes [ sic ] Werkes mitgeteilt werde. Nach meiner Erfahrung dürfte die Ankündigung insbesondere des 3. Teiles (des Kontrapunkts) das Vertrauen zum anonymen Verfasser sehr heben u. somit auch geschäftlich von zweifellos günstiger Wirkung sein.

Auch der Titel des Werkes liegt diesem Briefe bei:

Mit ausgezeichneter Hochachtung
Ir ergeb
[ sign’d: ] H Schenker

© Heirs of Heinrich Schenker; reproduced here by kind permission of the Deutsches Literaturarchiv, Cotta-Archiv (Stiftung der Stuttgarter Zeitung), Marbach am Neckar.
© Transcription Ian D. Bent 2005.

Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 13, 1906

[ not in Schenker’s hand: ] Schenker

[ in Schenker’s hand: ] Vienna, October 13, 1906

Dear Sir,

Enclosed is the draft synopsis¹ that you asked for. You may do with it as you see fit, but I should think it highly desirable, whatever you choose to do—and you may reduce this announcement to suit your wishes²—that the overall plan of the work as a whole be conveyed. In my judgment, the announcement, especially that of Part III (Counterpoint), ought to raise confidence in the anonymous author, hence also be efficacious undoubtedly from the commercial point of view.

The title-page of the book is also enclosed with this letter.

With kind regards,
Yours truly,
[ sign’d: ] H. Schenker

© Translation Ian D. Bent 2005.

COMMENTARY:
Format: holograph letter and signature, 1p
Sender address: --
Recipient address: --

FOOTNOTES:

¹ Unterlage = support, foundation; plural Unterlagen can = documents. Clearly Ankündigung (announcement) is synonymous in this letter. It presumably refers to the “_Characteristik_ des Inhalts“ (description of the contents [of the book]) requested in Cotta’s letter OJ 9/31, [14] of October 8, 1906.

² Uncertain: the German appears to read: wie sei wolle.

SUMMARY:
[ NMTP = Harmonielehre:] Advertising blurb and title-page enclosed.

© Commentary, Footnotes, Summary Ian D. Bent 2005.

Bent, Ian
Schenker, Heinrich
[ NMTP = Harmonielehre :] Advertising blurb and title-page enclosed.
DE
Cambridge University Faculty of Music-Ian Bent
IPR: Heirs of Heinrich Schenker; reproduced here by kind permission of the Deutsches Literaturarchiv, Cotta-Archiv (Stiftung der Stuttgarter Zeitung), Marbach am Neckar; Transcription, Translation, Commentary, Footnotes, and Summary: Ian D. Bent 2005.
Schenker, Heinrich; Cotta, J. G.; NMTP; vol.1; Harmonielehre; Harmony; blurb; title-page
Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cotta, dated October 13, 1906
letter
academic; musicology; music theory
CA 47
1906-10-13
2005-06-16
Cotta
All reasonable steps have been taken to locate the heirs of Heinrich Schenker. Any claim to intellectual rights on this document should be addressed to the Schenker Correspondence Project, Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge, at schenkercorrespondence@mus.cam.ac.uk.
letter; holograph message and signature
J.G. Cotta’sche Nachfolger/Stuttgarter Zeitung (1906-c.1954); Cotta-Archiv, Schiller-Nationalmuseum, Marbach a. N., Germany (c.1954-)
IPR: Heirs of Heinrich Schenker; reproduced here by kind permission of the Deutsches Literaturarchiv, Cotta-Archiv (Stiftung der Stuttgarter Zeitung), Marbach am Neckar; Transcription, Translation, Commentary, Footnotes, and Summary: Ian D. Bent.
Vienna
Stuttgart
1906