Schenker Correspondence Project

Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated December 3, 1911

[UE stamp:] Erledigt

Sehr geehrter Herr Direktor !

Besten Dank für die Übermittlung des Werkes aus der Druckerei Br. & H.¹ Doch glaube ich, sagen zu können, daß hier ein Irrtum bei den Setzere obwaltet,² freilich ein höchst entschuldbarer: es sind nämlich die Citate aus Beeth’s “Skizzenbüchern” sämmtlich ohne Vorzeichnung hingekritzelt (auch Beeth. ist zu entschuldigen, da er die Tonart wußte, in der er schrieb,) was man gewiß nicht z.B. von Reger sagen kann!), u. ich habe ich ^sie noten^{[- ] u. bild}getreu reproduziert. Die übrigen Beispiele dagegen habe ich sämmtliche mit Vorzeichnungen versehen; ich glaube im Großen u. Ganzen hierin völlig gewissenhaft verfahren zu haben, was selbst dann nur wird bestätigt werden können, wenn gelegentlich eine Vorzeichnung fehlen sollte.

Selbstverständlich dürfen Sie d’Alberts {2} Zustimmung verwenden. Sie kann ja, besonders in Deutschland, doch mir nützen, z.B. bei einem Inserat in der “Musik” oder dgl.

Habe ich die Korrekturen Ihnen oder direkt nach Leipzig zu schicken?

End[lich?] für Antwort entgegensehen[d]

Zeichne ich mit besten
Grüßen
Ir ergb
[ sign’d: ] H Schenker
3 Dez. 1911

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

Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated December 3, 1911

[UE stamp:] Erledigt

Dear Director,

Many thanks for conveying [the message regarding] the work from the printers, Breitkopf & Härtel.¹ I really think I can say that this is a case of an error on the part of the setters,² but admittedly a thoroughly excusable one: this is because the quotations from Beethoven’s sketchbooks are all scrawled without signature (Beethoven, too, can be excused, because he knew which key he was writing in, which one certainly cannot say, e.g., of Reger!), and I have reproduced them faithfully, note for note, symbol for symbol. I have, however, provided signatures for all the other examples. I believe I have on the whole been entirely accurate in this, which can be confirmed only if by any chance a signature should be missing.

Of course you should use d’Albert’s {2} approval. It could be of use to me, especially in Germany, e.g. in an advert in Die Musik, or the like.

Should I send the corrected proofs to you, or direct to Leipzig?

Finally[?], looking forward to [your] answer,

I remain,
With best wishes,
Yours truly,
[ sign’d: ] H. Schenker
December 3, 1911

© Translation Ian Bent 2006.

COMMENTARY:
Format: 2p letter, holograph message and signature
Sender address: --
Recipient address: --

FOOTNOTES

¹ The editorial insertion assumes that this sentence refers to H’s quotation from Breitkopf & Härtel’s letter, in OC 52/68, December 1, 1911. S had already thanked H for the first batch of proofs on November 30, 1911, WSLB 86. For S to thank H for the “work” as a whole rather than for a second batch of proofs seems implausible.

² H’s quotation from Breitkopf & Härtel’s letter, in OC 52/68, December 1, 1911, in which the setters report that the music examples lack signatures; S is talking of examples such as those on pp. 21–23.

SUMMARY
S responds on query regarding missing signatures in music examples of Beethovens Neunte Sinfonie. — Quoting d'Albert's enthusiastic words regarding the Chromatic Fantasy & Fugue edition in an advert could by advantageous.

© Commentary, Footnotes, Summary Ian Bent 2006.

Bent, Ian
Schenker, Heinrich
DE
Cambridge University Faculty of Music-Ian Bent
Schenker, Heinrich; Hertzka, Emil; UE; Beethoven; Ninth Symphony; Beethovens Neunte Sinfonie; music examples; signatures; Beethoven; Reger; sketchbooks; d'Albert, Eugen; Die Musik; Leipzig
Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated December 3, 1911
WSLB 87
1911-12-03
2006-12-02
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.
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 Bent.
Vienna
1911