Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cube, dated July 10, 1930 {recto} Absender: Schenker [An:] H [/] Prof. [/] Felix v. Cube [postmark:] || GALTÜR | 10. VII. 30. 16 | * * * || [for message-continuation, see below] {verso} Mein lieber Prof. v Cube! Ihre Darstellung des “Onkels Otto”1 ist sehr zutreffend, bedauerlich ist es nur, daß er sich damit einen nie gutzumachenden Schaden für sein Leben selbst zugefügt hat. Was hat sich doch Dr Weisse,2 im Gegensatz zu Vr., für eine Stellung in Wien herausschlagen gerade dadurch, daß er privat u. in seinem Seminar die “Url.” lehrte, ja, es gelang ihm sogar das Kunststück, einen amerikanischen Theorie-Professor so zu zähmen, daß er bei ihm Winters u. Sommers über 2 Jahre lang verblieben ist.3 Ad vocem Weisse: er hat ein sehr schönes Oktett zuletzt aufführen lassen mit einem gar schönen u. triftigen passacaglia am Schluß, ein Werk, wie es heute gewiß sonst Niemand schreibt. Furtwängler war derart erstaunt u. entzückt davon, das er sich leidenschaftlich dafür bei Br. & H. eingesetzt hat, unglaublicherweise: leider ohne Erfolg, so verzweifelt sind die Verlagsverhältnisse heute. (Nebenbei: Furtw. war so lieb, mir hier in Galtür {recto} seinen Besuch anzukündigen).4 Anfangs Oktober dürfte das Jb III des “Meisterw. i. d. M.“ erscheinen, dessen ersten Aufsatz ich Ihnen sehr ans Herz lege (folgt die „Eroica“ in einer sehr heroischen Darstellung!).5 Nun redigiere ich auch schon zum letzten Mal den „fr. S.“ Die Kritik in der „d. T.Z.“, für deren Einsendung ich bestens danke, macht mir gar nichts, dagegen stehen Erfolge, von denen sich der Rezensent gewiß kein Bild macht, sonst wäre er vorsichtiger.6 Mit besten Grüßen von uns beiden Ihr {verso, along left margin} © In the public domain. |
Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cube, dated July 10, 1930 {recto} From: Schenker [To:] Prof. Felix v. Cube [postmark:] || GALTÜR | 10. VII. 30. 16 | * * * || [for message-continuation, see below] {verso} Your portrayal of “Uncle Otto” hits the mark well;1 it is just a pity that he has thus done irreparable damage to his life. By contrast with Vrieslander, just look at the position that Dr. Weisse2 has carved out for himself in Vienna, preceisely because he taught the “Urlinie” privately and in his seminar. Indeed he succeeded in the miraculous feat of taming an American professor of theory, to the extent that he remained with him through both the winter and the summer for two years.3 In support of Weisse: he has recently had a very attractive octet performed, with a quite beautiful and apposite passacaglia as finale: the sort of work that certainly no one is writing today. Furtwängler was so amazed and charmed by it that, unbelievably, he took up its cause fervently at Breitkopf & Härtel – unfortunately to no avail, as today’s financial circumstances are so doubtful for [music] publishers. (In passing: Furtwängler was so kind as to announce to me here in Galtür {recto} his visit.4 Yearbook III of the Masterwork in Music, the first article of which I offer you from the bottom of my heart (the Eroica [Symphony analysis] in a heroic presentation follows it), should appear at the beginning of October.5 Now I am already revising Free Composition for the last time. The review in the Deutsche Tonkünstlerzeitung, which I am most grateful to you for sending me, does not bother me in the slightest: my successes—of which the reviewer certainly has no inkling, otherwise he would have been more careful—stand as his refutation.6 With best wishes from both us us, {verso, along left edge margin} © Translation William Drabkin, 2006. |
COMMENTARY: FOOTNOTES: 1 Cube’s portrayal of Otto Vrieslander, at the start of his previous letter. 2 Click on Hans Weisse. 3 This is almost certainly Victor Vaughn Lytle, a theory teacher at the Oberlin Conservatory, Oberlin, Ohio. The dates of Lytle’s tuition with Weisse tally precisely with the recollections of one of Lytle’s pupils from the 1930s, Robert A. Melcher. See David Carson Berry, “Victor Vaughn Lytle and the Early Proselytism of Schenkerian Ideas in the U.S.,” Journal of Schenker Studies I (Fall 2005), pp.92-117 (especially p. 97). No paragraph-break at this point. 4 No paragraph-break at this point. Galtür: The Schenkers’ usual summer holiday resort. 5 The review copies of Das Meisterwerk in der Musik III were sent out on December 13, 1930 (OC 54/253). The first article is “Rameau oder Beethoven? Erstarrung oder geistiges Leben in der Musik?”, pp. 11–24 (Eng. trans., pp. 1–9); following that is „Beethovens Dritte Sinfonie zum erstenmal in ihrem wahren Inhalt dargestellt,“ pp. 29–101 and Urlinietafeln (Eng. trans., pp. 10–68, 80–115); heroische Darstellung is an allusion to the dedication of the Eroica score to Beethoven dem Helden (Beethoven the hero). 6 This review was pasted into Cube's letter OJ 9/34, [21], June 25, 1930: see Click here.Review. It is cited by Jeanette S in S's scrap book, OC 2/p. 80. 7 This is in direct response to Cube’s enquiry, in the previous letter, about whether there might be an opportunity for him to teach in Vienna. SUMMARY: © Commentary, Footnotes, Summary William Drabkin 2006.
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