Schenker Correspondence Project

Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated May 17, 1911

Sehr geehrter Herr Direktor!

Das Manuscript¹ habe ich nun fertiggestellt u: ich werde mir erlauben, es Ihnen morgen, spätestens übermorgen persönlich zu übergeben. Es ist, wie Sie sehen werden, ein großes Werk geworden, u. gegen Jedermann, sei es welcher Observanz[?] immer, sage ich es laut: Ein wahreres, würdigeres Werk gab es in dieser Art bisher sicher nicht, u. auch kein besseres kann mehr nachfolgen. Es wird den Verlag u. den Autor ehren, vorausgesetzt, daß Sie für das Werk mit derselber Überzeugung eintreten, wie z.B. für ^die Schönberg’s,² Mayrhofer’s|³ e tutti quanti. Bald, bald wird es ja tagen, u. dann wird man deutlicher sehen, ob nicht vielmehr ich den “Fortschritt” bedeute, u. die schreibeunkundigen Krakehler⁴ nur den üppigsten “Rückschritts”rausch (freilich mit guten Ermahnen⁵!) vorstellen.

{2} Über die Einteilung des Werkes, Druck u.s.w. Alles mündlich.

Bei dieser Gelegenheit muß ich Ihnen wohl auch mitteilen, daß H. Dir. Bopp|⁶ mir vor einiger Zeit schrieb u. mir bei Gelegenheit meines Besuches mir ein durchaus günstiges Resultat bezüglich der scho[n] seit so vielen Jahren schwebenden Bach- u. Beeth. Ausgabe⁷ in Aussicht stellte: Präsid. Wiener|⁸ wäre dafür u. wollte mich sprechen. Dazu ist ^es leider noch nicht gekommen. Vielleicht ergibt sich heute die Gelegenheit, da ich soeben eine Einladung von Dir. Bopp erhalte zu einem Vortragsabend (Johannesgasse), an dem auch den bei[d]en Bach-Manuscriptkonzerte u. Händel (in meiner Bearbeitung) aufgeführt werden. Schade, daß Sie nicht dabei sind. Meinen Sie nicht, daß es für Schul- u. Renaissance-Zwecke von Nützen wäre, wenn Sie die Partituren publizieren wollten? (Diese Sachen {3} könnte ich Ihnen, tref der großen Arbeit, die ich darauf verwendete, billig abgeben).

Doch, wie gesagt, Näheres mündlich.

Mit besten Grüßen
zeichne
Ir ergebener
[ sign’d: ] H Schenker
17. Mai 1911

© In the public domain.
© Transcription Ian D. Bent 2006.

Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated May 17, 1911

Dear Director,

I have now completed the manuscript,¹ and I will take the liberty of handing it over to you in person tomorrow [or] at the latest the day after tomorrow. It has, as you will see, become a voluminous work, and I will say it loud and clear to anyone, of whatever persuasion[?]: there has certainly been no truer, more deserving work of this type up to now, nor will any better work succeed it. It will do honor to the publisher and author, provided that you champion the work with the same degree of conviction that you have done, e.g., ^those by Schoenberg,² Mayrhofer³ and rest of them. Soon, soon the day will surely dawn when people will see more clearly whether it is not I who in fact stand for “progress” whereas those scribblers,⁴ incapable of writing, represent nothing but the most presumptious racket of “regress” (admittedly with good warning⁵!).

{2} As to the internal organization of the work, the printing, etc., [we will do that] all by word of mouth.

I really must take this opportunity to let you know that Director Bopp⁶ wrote to me a while ago, and when I visited him envisioned a thoroughly favorable outcome regarding the Bach and Beethoven edition that has been back and forth for so many years⁷: President Wiener⁸ was for it, and wanted to speak to me. Regrettably, nothing has yet come of it. An opportunity may perhaps be opening up today, since I am just in receipt of an invitation from Director Bopp to a recital evening (Johannesgasse) at which the two Bach concertos in manuscript and Handel (in my arrangement) will be performed. It is a pity you will not be there. Don’t you think that it would be beneficial for school purposes and in the interests of the revival if you were to publish the scores? {3} (I could easily supply you these items, thanks to the great amount of work that I devoted to them.)

So, as I said, more detail when we meet.

With best wishes,
I remain,
Yours truly,
[ sign'd: ] H. Schenker
May 17, 1911

© Translation Ian D. Bent, 2006.

COMMENTARY:
Format: 3-p letter, oblong format, holograph message and signature
Sender address: --
Recipient address: --

FOOTNOTES

¹ i.e. of his monograph Beethovens Neunte Sinfonie, which he handed over to UE the next day.

² UE published Schoenberg’s Drei Klavierstücke, Op.11 and the Second String Quartet, Op.10 (UE 2991 & 2993) on October 4/7 1910, the Sechs Orchesterlieder, Op. 8 (voice and piano: UE 3041–46), and Pelleas und Melisande (score: UE 3370) in 1911, and his Harmonielehre in 1911.

³ Robert Mayerhofer, Der Kunstklang, vol. I Das Problem der Durdiatonik (UE 2798, 1910).

⁴ “Krakehler”: it is unclear what Schenker means by this epithet; “Krakel” is “scribble,” thus by extension “Krakeler” is a “scribbler”; on the other hand,“Krakeeler” is a “brawler, roisterer, quarrelsome person”; “scribbler” has been tentatively chosen here on the grounds that while UE had produced both compositions and a work of theory of Schoenberg by 1911 (hence either sense could apply), of Mayrhofer it had produced only a theory work.

⁵ S appears to have written “Ermahmen,” so there may be a greater misreading on the transcriber’s part.

⁶ Wilhelm Bopp [create biogfile and link].

⁷ Reference is to the plan, first mooted by H at a meeting with S on October 14, 1910, to publish the last five Beethoven sonatas and Part II of the Well-tempered Clavier (the latter a residue of an earlier plan dating from December 1908, which Schenker had declined) in alternate years; mentioned in OC 52/325 of the same day, and WSLB 68, October 21, 1910 (when S had discussed it direct with Bopp). The plan was, however, dependent on a subvention from the Austrian Ministry of Education that was never forthcoming.

⁸ Hofrat Carl von Wiener [create biogfile and link].

SUMMARY
[ Beethovens Neunte Sinfonie:] MS is ready for delivery in person; the work is unprecedented. —[ Die letzten fünf Sonaten von Beethoven:] Bopp envisions favorable outcome for planned Bach/Beethoven edition. — Forthcoming performance of works by Bach and Handel in S's arrangements.

© Commentary, Footnotes, Summary Ian D. Bent 2006.

Bent, Ian
Schenker, Heinrich
[ Beethovens Neunte Sinfonie:] MS is ready for delivery in person; the work is unprecedented. —[ Die letzten fünf Sonaten von Beethoven:] Bopp envisions favorable outcome for planned Bach/Beethoven edition. — Forthcoming performance of works by Bach and Handel in S's arrangements.
DE
Cambridge University Faculty of Music-Ian Bent
IPR: in public domain; Transcription, Translation, Commentary, Footnotes, and Summary: Ian D. Bent 2006.
Schenker, Heinrich; Hertzka, Emil; UE; Beethoven; Ninth Symphony; Beethovens Neunte Sinfonie; manuscript; Schoenberg; Mayrhofer, Robert; Bopp, Wilhelm; Wiener, Carl; Bach, J. S.; Well-tempered Clavier; Book II; LfS; Last Five Sonatas of Beethoven; Bach, C. P. E.; Handel; concertos; performance; recital;;
Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated May 17, 1911
letter
academic; musicology; music theory
WSLB 75
1911-05-17
2006-05-26
UE
Hertzka
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.
letter; holograph message and signature
Universal Edition Archive (1911-1976)—on permanent loan to the Stadt- und Landesbibliothek Wien (1976-)
IPR: In the public domain; Image: Universal Edition, A.G.; Transcription, Translation, Commentary, Footnotes, and Summary: Ian D. Bent.
Vienna
1911