Schenker Correspondence Project

Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cube, undated (c. February 1, 1927)

{recto}
Postkarte

[Absender:] H Schenker
III., Keilgasse 8

[An:] Prof. [/] Felix v. Cube
Duisburg /Rhld
Mühlheimerstr. [/] 141/II
Deutschland

[postmark: illeg]

[for message continuation, see below]

{verso}
Lieber Herr v. Cube!

Glück zum neuen Amt sei Ihnen gewünscht!¹ Ferner: die Urlinie ist alt, Sie sind noch sehr jung, also haben Sie Geduld mit sich.² Aber nicht auslassen! Jeder Terz-, Quart-, Quintzug usw., den Sie sich erobern, gleichviel ob Sie die Lösung finden oder nicht, weitert Ihr Kunstgefühl; schließlich aus vielen, vielen Zügen gewinnt man Erfahrung, u. diese führt dann umso leichter auch zur Urlinie. Aber: die Züge muß man auf dem Papier schreiben. Sie schreiben {recto} auch sonst gut. Einmal, wenn Sie älter geworden, sollten Sie eine Art “Reisebriefe” über Musik, Musiker u. dgl. schreiben,³ sehr wichtig für unsere Nachfahren.

Beste Grüße von mir und meiner Frau

Ihr
[ sign’d: ] H Sch

© In the public domain.
© Transcription William Drabkin, 2006.

Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cube, undated (c. February 1, 1927)

{recto}
Postcard

[Sender:] H. Schenker
Vienna III, Keilgasse 8

[To:] Prof. Felix von Cube
Duisburg /Rhineland
Mühlheimerstrasse 141/II
Germany

[postmark: illeg]

[for message continuation, see below]

{verso}
Dear Mr. von Cube,

May your new office bring you happiness!¹ Moreover: the Urlinie is old, but you are still very young, so be patient with yourself.² But do not give up. Every third-, fourth-, fifth-progression etc. that you master for yourself, whether you find the solution or not, furthers your feeling for art; in the end, from many, many progressions one gains experience, and this will lead then all the more easily to the Urlinie. But the progressions must be written down on paper. And, in general. you write {recto} well indeed. Some day, when you are older, you should write a kind of “travel letters” about music and musicians, and the like;³ this will be very important for our successors.

Best greetings from me and my wife.

Yours,
[ sign’d: ] Heinrich Schenker

© Translation William Drabkin, 2006.

COMMENTARY:
Format: printed postcard, holograph addresses, message continuation, and signature recto, holograph message verso
Sender address: Vienna III, Keilgasse 8
Recipient address: Duisburg /Rhineland, Mühlheimerstrasse 141/II, Germany

FOOTNOTES:

¹ In his previous letter to Schenker, Cube announced that he had been engaged by the Rheinisches Musikseminar (conservatory) in Duisburg, the state teacher’s examination being postponed until May.

² Schenker is alluding to the analysis he returned in his previous letter (see Cube’s letters OJ 9/34, [5] and [6], December 31, 1926 and January 24, 1927), but his language suggests an additional, metaphorical meaning: the Züge (linear progressions) that Cube must look for are the paths which his life will take, ultimately arriving at fulfilment (Urlinie).

³ Schenker is counting on Cube, as one of his successors, to give an accurate historical account of the reception of his theories by the musical world.

SUMMARY:
S wishes H well in his new job, offers encouragement over his graphing technique, and praises his writing.

© Commentary, Footnotes, Summary William Drabkin 2006.

Drabkin, William
Schenker, Heinrich
DE
Cambridge University Faculty of Music-Ian Bent
Schenker, Heinrich; Cube, Felix-Eberhard von; Duisburg Conservatory; Urlinie; Terzzug; Quartzug; Quintzug
Handwritten postcard from Schenker to Cube, undated (c. February 1, 1927)
vC 8
1927-02-01
2006-06-09
Cube
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.
Felix-Eberhard von Cube (1927-87)—Heirs of F.-E. von Cube (1987-present day)
IPR: In the public domain; Image: Heirs of Felix-Eberhard von Cube; Transcription, Translation, Commentary, Footnotes, and Summary William Drabkin.
Vienna
1927