Footnotes

¹ Receipt of this letter is recorded in Schenker's diary at OJ 3/4, p. 2570, September 18, 1923: "Von Klenau (Br.): möchte mich wegen der Missa solemnis u. der III. Sinfonie fragen." ("From Klenau (letter): would like to ask me about the Missa solemnis and the Third Symphony."). This letter is transcribed in Federhofer, Heinrich Schenker nach Tagebüchern und Briefen ... (Hildesheim: Georg Olms, 1985), pp. 161‒62, and in Heinrich Schenker: Selected Correspondence, ed. Ian Bent, David Bretherton, and William Drabkin (Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2014), p. 238.

² Schenker had attended a performance by Klenau, recorded in his diary at OJ 3/3, p. 2487, December 29, 1922: "Abends „Schöpfung“ unter Klenau (mit Bamberger): Tempi meist richtig, besonders die Arien gelassener u. bequemer, dagegen eine unerlaubte Kürzung der Schlussfuge, die einen lächerlichen Eindruck macht." ("In the evening, Creation under Klenau (with Bamberger): tempos mostly correct, especially the arias more relaxed and easier, in contrast an impermissible curtailment of the final fugue, which makes a ridiculous impression.").

³ Schenker records in his diary at OJ 3/4, p. 2571, September 18, 1923: "Abends Missa durchgesehen." ("Looked through the Missa in the evening."). OC 82/10 is a record of the discussion of the Missa solemnis on this occasion.

⁴ i.e. on September 21 or 22. The visit is recorded at OJ 3/4, p. 2572, September 21, 1923: "Paul v. Klenau 10¾ –12½^h; über verschiedene Themen, darunter auch persönliche Betrachtung Furtwänglers u. anderer Dirigenten – er meint, daß sich F. heute schon erlauben könnte, die Rolle eines aristokratischen Wertmessers zu spielen – gelangen wir endlich zum eigentlichen Gegenstand, zur Missa. Ich führe ihn zur Partitur ans Klavier u. Stelle [sic] den Grundplan des ganzen Werkes fest, gehe sogar zu Einzelheiten über, immer selbst führend, schon aus dem Bewußtsein, daß der Partner nicht einmal zu fragen wüßte; ich lasse mich auch nicht stören durch die übliche Wendung „ . . ich habe mir’s auch so gedacht“ – u. fahre fort – gleichsam über seinen Kopf hinweg, was mir nur einfällt vorzubringen. Ich sehe, daß meine Bemerkungen die Wirkung eines Neuen machen u. starken Eindruck hervorrufen. Fraglich bleibt es, ob Kl. seine Ausführung darnach wird richten können. — Zum Schluß bedankte er sich wiederholt u. wärmstens u. bat mich um meinen Besuch, bis er seine Wohnung in der Wiedner Hauptstraße bezogen haben wird.
("Paul v. Klenau from 10:45 to 12:30; about various topics, also including personal reflections of Furtwängler and other conductors – he says Furtwängler could today already permit himself to play the role of an aristocratic standard of value – we finally arrive at the actual topic, to the Missa. I lead him to the score on the piano and outline the basic plan of the entire work, even move on to details, always taking the lead myself, if only in the knowledge that the partner would not even know what to ask; I also don't let myself get bothered by the normal statement " . . that's what I thought, too" – and continue – so to speak as if over his head, addressing whatever occurs to me. I see that my comments have the effect of something new, and make a strong impact. It remains questionable whether Klenau will be able to alter his performance accordingly. — At the end, he thanked me repeatedly and most warmly and asked me to visit him once he has moved into his apartment on Wiedner Hauptstraße.").

Commentary

Format

1p letter, holograph salutation, message, valediction, and signature

Provenance

Schenker, Heinrich (document date-1935)--Schenker, Jeanette (1935-c.1942)--Ratz, Erwin (c.1942-c.1955)--Jonas, Oswald (c.1955-1978)--University of California, Riverside (1978-)

Rights Holder

Heirs and representatives of Paul von Klenau; published here by kind permission

License

Permission to published granted May 9, 2013; Any claim to intellectual rights on this document should be addressed to the Schenker Correspondence Project, Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge, at schenkercorrespondence[at]mus[dot]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk

Digital version created: 2019-08-30
Last updated: 2012-09-26