Schenker Correspondence Project

Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated January 1, 1912

Sehr geehrter Herr Direktor !

Hiemit retourniere ich Bg. 1, 2 (II. Corr.) u. Bog. 4 (I. Korr.);¹ [au]ßerdem der “Plan” u. die “Hornskizze”.² Mit der Bitte, von Bg. 1 u. 2 ^noch eine Korrektur mir zukommen zu lassen. Die in der 2 Korr. vorkommenden Fehler sind zum größeren Teile auf Rechnung der Setzer zu stellen.

Insbesondere wundert es mich, daß sie[?] – sehen Sie nur den “Plan”!– nicht so peinlich genau u. geschmackvoll (wie z.B. hier oder in Stuttgart³) die Linien einhalten, u. so ungeschickt die Marginalzahlen auf der zu bindenden Seite anbringen. Nun [da]s(?) alles giebt sich nach den ersten Erfahrungen u. die weiteren Bg. dürften in dulci jubilo erledigt werden.

(Auch kommt es öfter vor, daß mich die Setzter mit völlig neuen Fehlern überraschen, an Stellen, die außerhalb jeder Korrektur standen!) Indessen, wie gesagt⁴, nur Geduld.

Mit ausgezeichneter Hochachtung
Ir ergeb
[ sign'd: ] H Schenker
1. 1. 1912

[overwritten in crayon:] Erl / [?] / 2/I 19[ 1]2

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

Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated January 1, 1912

Dear Director,

I return herewith gatherings 1 and 2 (2nd proof) and gathering 4 (1st proof)¹; in addition, the structural diagram and the “horn sketch,”² with the request that you let me have a ^further proof of gatherings 1 and 2. The errors that occur on the 2nd proofs are for the greater part to be accounted to the typesetter.

I am particularly surprised that they[?]—just take a look at the structural diagram!—have not adhered to the lines as meticulously and tastefully (as e.g. here or in Stuttgart³), and have inserted the marginal numbers so clumsily on the inside edge of the page. Now all of this will improve, on the basis of initial, and the remaining gatherings should go through like a dose of salts.

(Still, the typesetters frequently surprise me with totally new kinds of errors nowhere near any existing corrections!) However, as they say⁴: just have patience.

With kind regards,
Yours truly,
[ signed: ] H. Schenker
Jan 1, 1912

[overwritten in crayon:] Dealt with / [?] / January 2, 19[ 1]2

© Translation Ian Bent, 2006.

COMMENTARY:
Format: 1p letter, holograph message and signature
Sender address: --
Recipient address: --

FOOTNOTES

¹ i.e. of S’s monograph Beethovens Neunte Sinfonie: gathering 1 = pp. 1–16; gathering 2 = pp. 17–32; gathering 4 = pp. 49–64.

² “Plan”: perhaps the formal diagram of mvt. 1 (p. [2]), or that of one of the later movements. “Hornskizze”: possibly Fig. 164 (p. 130), marked “Corno I.”, or Fig. 209 (p. 172), marked “Corni," both taken from Nottebohm’s transcriptions of Beethoven’s sketchbooks.

³ Stuttgart: i.e. J. G. Cotta, the publisher of S’s Harmonielehre (1906) and Kontrapunkt I (1910), for which S always shows a preference.

⁴ “wie gesagt”: or possibly “as you say,” referring to UE’s letter OC 52/65, September 14, 1911, asking patience for a day or so, or perhaps to a recent conversation.

SUMMARY
Returns gathgs 1-2 (2nd proof) and 4 (1st proof); supplies two other items; criticizes type-setters.

© Commentary, Footnotes, Summary Ian Bent 2006.

Bent, Ian
Schenker, Heinrich
DE
Cambridge University Faculty of Music-Ian Bent
Schenker, Heinrich; Hertzka, Emil; UE; Beethoven's Ninth Symphony; Beethovens Neunte Sinfonie; proofs; type-setters
Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated January 1, 1912
WSLB 90
1912-01-01
2006-12-04
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 (1912-1976)—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
1912