Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated June 9, 1912 Sehr geehrter Herr Direktor ! Für Ihren letzten würdigen Brief1 meinen herzlichsten, verbindlichsten Dank. Ich schlage ein u. freue mich darüber, daß ich damit nicht wieder ins Ausland flüchten mußte. Seien Sie mit mir davon überzeugt, daß in der Arche, die nach der Sintfluth der “Moderne” irgendwo mal landen wird, eben die Werke von mir den Ehrenplatz einnehmen, u. die neue Zukunft zu bringen bestimmt sein werden. Nur wieder wird man den österreichischen Boden preisen, der, zur Musik offenbar prädestiniert, das Heil der neuen Menschheit gebracht hat. Und man wird dankbar auch Ihrer gedenken, der die Hand dazu geboten. Halten Sie das Alles nicht für Worte, Übertreibung, – es wird genau so kommen, wie ich sage, “auf daß in Erfüllung gehe das Wort des Propheten”2 u.s.w. Sehen Sie nur, daß die “U:E” die Hauptforts der Musik: die “IX Symph,” die “chrom. Fant.,” die 5 letzten Sonaten, (auch Em. Bach) in jener neuen Beleuchtung zeigt, daran die Menschheit bald bedürfen {2} wird, sichert der “U.E.” von vornherein die Überlegenheit über sämmtliche Verlage Deutschlands. Es kam so leise, schrittweise, aber nun ist es Thatsache , daß die Kanonen der Renaissance (in Vergessen Sie aber nicht, ordentliche Reklame für die “IX” zu Bezüglich der Organisation|5 hat Godowsky|6 die Verständigung Dr Harpners|7 übernommen u. ich sollte Sie verständigen. (Auch Rosenthal|8 freut sich sehr Ihrer Mitwirkung). Ich habe daher heute Gärtner|9 geboten, bei Harpner anzufragen, ob er schon von der Unterredung, die er mit Ihnen zu absolvieren hat, verständigt worden. Am besten ist es also, daß Sie telephonisch Dr Harpner anfragen, wenn Sie mit ihm zusammenkommen können, wenn nicht bis Und was Weisse|13 anbelangt, so würde ich Sie bitten, mir zu Liebe, statt Tantièmen u. Vorschuß ihm lieber op. 1 u. 2 glatt abzukaufen. Sie können meiner Beziehung zu Ihnen ja sicher sein, u. daher auch der des mir so ergebenen Schülers. Die Stücke sind von einer Kultur, die nirgends gelehrt, nirgends geübt wird, die sie daher für lange, lange stets nur jung erhalten muß. Es wäre sehr tapfer, – verzeihen Sie, wenn ich es ausspreche –, wenn Sie das Gute nobel belohnen wollten, es wird Ihnen reichlich[corr] Zeichen tragen. Der moralisch gehobene junge Autor wird zu Ihnen Zutrauen fassen, u. ohne Übertriebenheit in den Forderungen Ihnen von selbst die nächsten Werke {5} übergeben. In der nächsten Serie, die ich freilich noch durchzusehen habe, sind etwa 3 Schlager. Vertrauen Sie uns, u. Sie werden sehen, daß Künstler, die solche Wege, wie wir wandeln, honorige Menschen sind, die eine noble, gute Behandlung zu lohnen wissen[corr]. Papa Weisse ist für den ersten Vorschlag nicht ganz eingenommen, ich weiß auch warum, – schaffen Sie ihn aus der Welt, u. machen Sie es anders. Vielleicht kann ich mit dem H. Hans|13 selbst zu Ihnen kommen, u. vermitteln; ich Morgen erfahre ich, ob Harpner schon verständigt worden. Doch das hat nicht einmal so viel Bedeutung. Wenn Sie wollen, können Sie über unsere Bitte – ich sagte, daß Walter|14, Leschetitzki|15, Rosental|8, Alles, Alles billigen – bereits losgehen! Nochmals Dank u. herzlichsten Gruß. Ihr ergeb Bitte, den neuen Vertrag zu © Heirs of Heinrich Schenker. |
Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated June 9, 1912 Dear Director, My heartfelt and grateful thanks for your splendid latest letter.1 I infer, with great relief, that I will not once again have to flee the country over this. Believe me when I say that in Noah’s Ark, which will land somewhere one of these days when the Flood of the “moderns” is over, it will be my works that occupy the place of honor, and that will be ordained to usher in the new future. Only then will people extol Austria’s soil, which, manifestly predestined for music, has the power to heal the new generation of mankind. And people will remember you with gratitude as the person who offered them a hand toward this. Do not take all of this as mere words, exaggeration—it will come to pass just as I say, “that the word of the prophet will come to fullfilment,”2 and all of that. If only you think that UE is showing the principal fortresses of music, the Ninth Symphony, the Chromatic Fantasy, the last five sonatas, (even C. P. E. Bach,) in that bright new light that humanity will soon come to crave, {2} then UE will henceforth secure superiority over all the publishing houses of Germany. It has come about so silently, a step at a time, but the fact now is that the canons of the Renaissance (in the highest sense of that word! [i.e. the Renaissance of the Classical masters]) are in the palm of UE’s hand. But do not forget to do a suitable advertisement for The Ninth Symphony. “No matter how good the advert is, the article has to be good, too,” said Mr. Oster.3 He was right. I am what I am, I have no title to my name, sport no medal, so all the more energetically must the publishing house proclaim the truth that is known to everybody. Let no scruples stay your hand when you do that. Don’t be afraid of hurting the feelings of the “moderns” and of posterity when you hail that group of publications wherever possible as works aimed at bringing about a still later but better future. Only when it is all long gone—the Debussys, Korngolds, Schoenbergs, Rétis, etc.—will the time have come for me and what I represent. You have the long-term, the very ultimate future in your hands and should act accordingly. It would be no bad thing to announce the Last Five Sonatas right now, the moment The Ninth Symphony appears: {3} the sequence in which I shall trot out the five sonatas begins with Op. 109. I will not argue with you today as to whether you will have to raise [my honorarium by] an additional 200 Florins when we come to the big Hammerklavier Sonata. The contract does not need to say anything about that. In five years’ time all will be apparent. All I am seeking in my honoraria is tolerable recompense for the physical pains that my publications cost me. Don’t forget to pay the additional 200 Florins—400 in all4—for The Ninth Symphony; I have earned them as honestly as any researcher on earth. As regards the Organisation5, Godowsky6 has undertaken to notify Dr Harpner7, and I was to notify you. (Rosenthal8, too, is delighted at your participation). Consequently, I have offered Gärtner9 to enquire of Harpner whether he has already been notified of the discussion that he has to work out[?] with you. Thus, if Dr Harpner has not already been in touch with you by telephone it will be best if you call him and see whether the two of you can get together. I have just written to D’Albert10 {4} at the hospital in Semmering11 telling him that I should like to sound him out12 him on our question and mentioning your name and Harpner’s. Once the discussion between you and Harpner has taken place, everything else will go very quickly, and I am pleased to tell you that Godowsky and all the others take the knowledge that you are with us to be an auspicious omen. As concerns Weisse13, I would ask you please, for my sake, to pay him outright for Opp. 1 and 2 rather than offering him a royalty with an advance. You can count on my good relations with you, hence also on the pupil who is so devoted to me. The pieces are of a sophistication that can never be taught, never be acquired by practice, a sophistication that is sure to keep them ever-young. It would be very courageous—forgive me for speaking plainly—if you were to reward the quality handsomely, [and] it will redound greatly to your credit. This morally upright young composer will put his trust in you and will {5} submit his latest compositions to you on his own initiative without making exaggerated demands. In the next series [of compositions], which I admit I still have to look through, there are perhaps three real winners. Trust us, and you will see that composers who tread such paths as we tread are honorable human beings who know how to repay being treated generously and well. Papa Weisse is not entirely taken by your first proposal, [and] I can see why, too—take him on, and do things differently. I can come along with our Hans13 to see you and act as intermediary. I should be delighted if only Austria would reflect, and begin at its own initiative to nurture that which is good—in its own interests. Tomorrow I shall find out whether Harpner has already been notified. But that is not really all that important. If like, you can just go ahead with our request! As I said, Walter14, Leschetitzky15, Rosenthal8—they are all, all of them, in favour of it! With thanks once again, and cordial greetings. Yours truly, Please revise the new contract. © Translation Ian D. Bent 2005. |
COMMENTARY: FOOTNOTES: 1 OC 52/493, June 8, 1912. 2 “auf, daß in Erfüllung gehe das Wort der Propheten”: source? 3 Mr Oster: unknown 4 In WSLB 118, June 2, S asked for an additional 400 Kroner for reading the proofs of The Ninth Symphony, and in OC 52/427, June 3, Hertzka responded that he hoped to be able to do this, but that the printing costs had been high. 5 Click on Organisation producirender und reproducirender Künstler. 6 Click on Leopold Godowsky. 7 Click on Dr. Harpner. 8 Click on Rosenthal. 9 Click on Eduard Gärtner. 10 D’Albert’s reply survives as OJ 9/6, June 11, 1912, saying that he is coming to Vienna on the 24th for the Nikisch concert, and suggesting they meet before the concert, or on the 25th at 9 am. In WSLB 121, June 13?, S reports that he will be meeting him at 6 pm on the 24th. Click on Eugen D’Albert. 11 Spitel: Austrian dialect for Spital = hospital. 12 S uses the legalistic interpellieren, to call [someone] to account—almost as if he wished to take a deposition from him. 13 Click on Hans Weisse. 14 Click on Bruno Walter. 15 Click on Leschetitzky. SUMMARY: © Commentary, Footnotes, Summary Ian D. Bent 2005.
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