Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated November 11, 1910 [ UE date-stamp: ] 12 Nov. 1910 Sehr geehrter Herr Direktor ! Die bekannte Pariser Pianistin Frau W. Landowska1 [la]det mich für morgen, wie das beiliegende Billetchen2 zeigt, zu ihrem Konzert ein. Ich möchte Sie nun bitten, mir bei einem Akt schuldiger Courtoisie behilflich zu sein, u. der genannten Dame in ihr Hotel “Tegethoff, Johannesgasse 23“3 ein Exemplar meiner Ornamentik in der II Auflage|4 u.zugleich ein Exemplar der “chromatischen Phantasie” in meinem Namen überreichen zu lassen, so daß sie morgen auf meinen Besuch besser vorbereitet sein kann. Es liegt, meine ich, auch im Geschäftsinteresse der “U.E.” das[corr] Interesse einer solchen Dame zu schützen: sie vergilt es durch Empfehlung tausendfältig. Wollen Sie die Güte haben, das Billetchen {2} mir durch den Überbringer retourniren zu wollen? Besten Dank! © In the public domain. |
Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated November 11, 1910 [ UE date-stamp: ] 12 Nov. 1910 Dear Director, The well-known Parisian pianist Mrs. Wanda Landowska1 has, as the enclosed notelet2 shows, invited me to her concert tomorrow. I should like to ask you to do me a great courtesy and send a copy of my Ornamentation in the 2nd edition|4 together with a copy of the Chromatic Fantasy & Fugue to the above-named lady in my name at her hotel, Tegethoff, Johannesgasse 23,3 so that she can be better prepared for my visit tomorrow. To my mind, it is even in UE’s commercial interests to cultivate the interest of lady such as this: she [could] repay it a thousandfold through recommendations. Please would you very kindly have the notelet {2} returned to me by your courier, please? Many thanks! © Translation Ian D. Bent 2006. |
COMMENTARY: FOOTNOTES 1 Click on Wanda Landowska. Note that, despite his interest in and advocacy of the use of early instruments, Schenker calls her a “pianist.” 2 Billetchen : Billett is obsolete Austrian for letter-card; but it has a hint perhaps of billet doux, too. The later use of the French word courtoise suggests that Schenker is trying to create an air of hommage-paying in the manner of courtly love. 3 The Tegetthoff was a second-rank hotel within the inner city, with 176 rooms, at 3.50 Kroner upwards: Griebens Reiseführer, vol. 68, Wien und Umgebung (Berlin, 1914), p.11, and 25th edition (1923), p.15.. 4 “II Auflage”: double-underlined. SUMMARY © Commentary, Footnotes, Summary Ian D. Bent 2006.
|
|