[envelope:]
{recto}
Herrn Floriz Violin
bei H. Brode 1
Berlin
W. Uhlandstrasse 28.

[postmark:] || Z [?1]. 11 . 0[0] | 3/3 WIEN 49 | [illeg] | C ||

{verso}
Abs: Dr. H Schenker
Wien, III/3 Reisnerstr. 38

[postmark:] || Bestellt | vom | Postamte 1[?5] | 3. 11. 00 | 2-3¼N ||

[letter:]
[undated]

Florizellissime! 2

Wie oft denke ich deiner, plaudere mit dir in gewohnter Weise über Musik, Menschen, Künstler, Shakspeare, dessen „Winter Märchen“ ich gestern mit staundender Begeisterung wiedersah. Ich plaudere still, als gingst du an meiner Seite.

Ich habe deine Leute Sonntag gesehen, sogar „Angehen“ 3 mit deiner leidenschaftlichen Nina gespielt, bis Eduard kam, – es war 7½ Abends, u. ich gehen musste. Deine {2} Leute sind bravourös, ruhig. Deine Mutter lacht, was ein sehr gutes Zeichen ist.

Betreffs deiner Ideen folgendes:

Saalmiethe ist doch erfahrungsgemäss ausgeschlossen für Februar, da je Guttmann alle Abende besetzt hält. Indessen wäre es nicht übel, wenn du gleichviel wie‘, dich entschliessen wolltest, aufzutreten – der Saal wird schon kommen.

Was würdest du spielen?

Freunde hast du genug, u. das ist die Hauptsache, das allein! Dein Spiel genügt allenfalls.

Nun gebe ich dir eine Idee, die seit einer am Samstag Abend {3} geführten Debatte besonders kräftig hervortritt. Publicire so rasch als es nur geht etwas von dir. Etwa: 2 Klavierstücke, wenn du dem mir bekannten aus F 4 noch eines hinzufügen wolltest. Und müsstest du selbst mit Thorsch 5 Gelde es machen, d.h. auf eigene Kosten publiciren, du solltest es machen (Beeth. u. Andere thaten es oft auch) damit es heisse, du habest etwas „veröffentlicht“. Dieses „Veröffentlichen“ ist eine Macht ohnegleichen. Gleichviel was, du sollst heraus. Wir unter uns können der einzelnen Schwächen in den Compositionen be- {4} wusst sein, die grosse Menge weiss nichts davon, u. – hat den Götzen, den sie wünscht ! In diesem Sinne will ich auch schleunigst die ganze Hamlet-Partitur von mir auf die Beine bringen, 6 – ich bin es fest entschlossen.

Thue es, thue es!

Bei Leiners‘ bin ich leider genöthigt heute das minimal-Honorar von 5 fl. zu verlangen, da ich in diesem Hause um keinen Preis bei 4 fl. unterrichten mag. Frl. Wiener ist sehr brav, darum will ich die Frage dort gar nicht berühren, bis auf Weiteres. 7

Nächstens eine schöne Aussichtskarte, als Gegenstück des deinen.


Tausend Wünsche Dein
[signed:] Heinrich

© Transcription Ian Bent, 2022


[envelope:]
{recto}
Mr. Floriz Violin
c/o H. Brode 1
Berlin W
Uhlandstrasse 28

[postmark:] || Z [?1]. 11 . 0[0] | 3/3 VIENNA 49 | [illeg] | C ||

{verso}
From: Dr. H. Schenker
Vienna III/3, Reisnerstrasse 38

[postmark:] || Delivered | from | Post Office 1[?5] | 3. 11. 00 | 2-3.15 p.m. ||

[letter:]
[undated]

Florizellissime, 2

How often I think of you, and in our accustomed manner chat with you about music, people, composers, Shakespeare – whose A Winter’s Tale I saw yesterday with wide-eyed excitement. I chat silently, as if you were sitting alongside me.

I saw your family on Sunday. I even played “Angehen” 3 with your impassioned Nina, until Eduard turned up – it was 7.30 in the evening, and I had to go. Your {2} people are brilliant, calm. Your mother laughed, which is a very good sign.

Regarding your ideas, I have the following thoughts:

From experience, hiring halls is definitely out for February, since Gutmann always has every evening booked. However, irrespective of how you want to decide to proceed – the hall will [?become available] sometime soon.

What would you play?

You have friends a-plenty, and that is the important thing, that alone! Your playing is enough, at all events.

Now I have an idea for you, which since emerged particularly forcibly after a discussion that took place on Saturday {3} evening. Publicize as quickly as you possibly can something by yourself, perhaps two piano pieces, if you still wanted to add a thing to what is known to me from F. 4 And if you yourself have to do it with Thorsch 5 money, that is, to publicize at your own expense, you ought to do it (Beethoven and others often did it, as well), so that it looks as if you have something “in print.” This “in print” is a power beyond compare. No matter what, you should be “out there.” You and I can be aware of the weaknesses in the compositions, {4} but the bulk of people are oblivious to it and – they have the idols that they ask for ! In this sense, I will also put the whole of my Hamlet score into shape as quickly as possible 6 – I am absolutely determined to do it.

Do it, do it!

At the Leiners, I am unfortunately obliged today to charge the minimum fee of 5 Florins since I am not permitted to teach in the latter house for a fee of 4 Florins. Mrs. Wiener is a good soul, so I will not raise the matter there for the time being. 7

The next time, a pretty picture postcard as a match for yours.


A thousand good wishes, Your
[signed:] Heinrich

© Translation Ian Bent, 2022


[envelope:]
{recto}
Herrn Floriz Violin
bei H. Brode 1
Berlin
W. Uhlandstrasse 28.

[postmark:] || Z [?1]. 11 . 0[0] | 3/3 WIEN 49 | [illeg] | C ||

{verso}
Abs: Dr. H Schenker
Wien, III/3 Reisnerstr. 38

[postmark:] || Bestellt | vom | Postamte 1[?5] | 3. 11. 00 | 2-3¼N ||

[letter:]
[undated]

Florizellissime! 2

Wie oft denke ich deiner, plaudere mit dir in gewohnter Weise über Musik, Menschen, Künstler, Shakspeare, dessen „Winter Märchen“ ich gestern mit staundender Begeisterung wiedersah. Ich plaudere still, als gingst du an meiner Seite.

Ich habe deine Leute Sonntag gesehen, sogar „Angehen“ 3 mit deiner leidenschaftlichen Nina gespielt, bis Eduard kam, – es war 7½ Abends, u. ich gehen musste. Deine {2} Leute sind bravourös, ruhig. Deine Mutter lacht, was ein sehr gutes Zeichen ist.

Betreffs deiner Ideen folgendes:

Saalmiethe ist doch erfahrungsgemäss ausgeschlossen für Februar, da je Guttmann alle Abende besetzt hält. Indessen wäre es nicht übel, wenn du gleichviel wie‘, dich entschliessen wolltest, aufzutreten – der Saal wird schon kommen.

Was würdest du spielen?

Freunde hast du genug, u. das ist die Hauptsache, das allein! Dein Spiel genügt allenfalls.

Nun gebe ich dir eine Idee, die seit einer am Samstag Abend {3} geführten Debatte besonders kräftig hervortritt. Publicire so rasch als es nur geht etwas von dir. Etwa: 2 Klavierstücke, wenn du dem mir bekannten aus F 4 noch eines hinzufügen wolltest. Und müsstest du selbst mit Thorsch 5 Gelde es machen, d.h. auf eigene Kosten publiciren, du solltest es machen (Beeth. u. Andere thaten es oft auch) damit es heisse, du habest etwas „veröffentlicht“. Dieses „Veröffentlichen“ ist eine Macht ohnegleichen. Gleichviel was, du sollst heraus. Wir unter uns können der einzelnen Schwächen in den Compositionen be- {4} wusst sein, die grosse Menge weiss nichts davon, u. – hat den Götzen, den sie wünscht ! In diesem Sinne will ich auch schleunigst die ganze Hamlet-Partitur von mir auf die Beine bringen, 6 – ich bin es fest entschlossen.

Thue es, thue es!

Bei Leiners‘ bin ich leider genöthigt heute das minimal-Honorar von 5 fl. zu verlangen, da ich in diesem Hause um keinen Preis bei 4 fl. unterrichten mag. Frl. Wiener ist sehr brav, darum will ich die Frage dort gar nicht berühren, bis auf Weiteres. 7

Nächstens eine schöne Aussichtskarte, als Gegenstück des deinen.


Tausend Wünsche Dein
[signed:] Heinrich

© Transcription Ian Bent, 2022


[envelope:]
{recto}
Mr. Floriz Violin
c/o H. Brode 1
Berlin W
Uhlandstrasse 28

[postmark:] || Z [?1]. 11 . 0[0] | 3/3 VIENNA 49 | [illeg] | C ||

{verso}
From: Dr. H. Schenker
Vienna III/3, Reisnerstrasse 38

[postmark:] || Delivered | from | Post Office 1[?5] | 3. 11. 00 | 2-3.15 p.m. ||

[letter:]
[undated]

Florizellissime, 2

How often I think of you, and in our accustomed manner chat with you about music, people, composers, Shakespeare – whose A Winter’s Tale I saw yesterday with wide-eyed excitement. I chat silently, as if you were sitting alongside me.

I saw your family on Sunday. I even played “Angehen” 3 with your impassioned Nina, until Eduard turned up – it was 7.30 in the evening, and I had to go. Your {2} people are brilliant, calm. Your mother laughed, which is a very good sign.

Regarding your ideas, I have the following thoughts:

From experience, hiring halls is definitely out for February, since Gutmann always has every evening booked. However, irrespective of how you want to decide to proceed – the hall will [?become available] sometime soon.

What would you play?

You have friends a-plenty, and that is the important thing, that alone! Your playing is enough, at all events.

Now I have an idea for you, which since emerged particularly forcibly after a discussion that took place on Saturday {3} evening. Publicize as quickly as you possibly can something by yourself, perhaps two piano pieces, if you still wanted to add a thing to what is known to me from F. 4 And if you yourself have to do it with Thorsch 5 money, that is, to publicize at your own expense, you ought to do it (Beethoven and others often did it, as well), so that it looks as if you have something “in print.” This “in print” is a power beyond compare. No matter what, you should be “out there.” You and I can be aware of the weaknesses in the compositions, {4} but the bulk of people are oblivious to it and – they have the idols that they ask for ! In this sense, I will also put the whole of my Hamlet score into shape as quickly as possible 6 – I am absolutely determined to do it.

Do it, do it!

At the Leiners, I am unfortunately obliged today to charge the minimum fee of 5 Florins since I am not permitted to teach in the latter house for a fee of 4 Florins. Mrs. Wiener is a good soul, so I will not raise the matter there for the time being. 7

The next time, a pretty picture postcard as a match for yours.


A thousand good wishes, Your
[signed:] Heinrich

© Translation Ian Bent, 2022

Footnotes

1 Brode: evidently where Violin is staying while in Berlin this time. — Schenker’s diary for November 4, 1903 shows that he and Violin stayed at Brode’s place for the first performance of his Syrische Tänze in their orchestrated version on November 5.

2 This letter is undated, hence the match with the dated envelope is tentative. The letter must, however, in view of its references to the Leiners and Wieners, date somewhere in February, November or December 1900, and this envelope is addressed to Berlin.

3 “Angehen”: 3-card game of chance, more commonly known as “Mauscheln.” In 1890 it was described as “very popular in ladies’ circles.” (wikipedia “Mauscheln”) Either Schenker or Nina must have had cards in their pocket.

4 “aus F”: unknown. It could be the initial of a mutual acquaintance. It is unlikely to be the key of the piece concerned in view of the preposition.

5 Thorsch: family whom Schenker approached in 1906 and 1907 in an attempt to get money to support Moriz Violin. This is the earliest reference to the family that has so far come to light among Schenker’s papers. Schenker’s comment is obviously cynical.

6 Among Schenker’s unpublished vocal music without opus number is incidental music for Shakespeare’s Hamlet, a set of ten or eleven numbers, some in piano score, some in orchestral score. They survive as OJ 22/36, and are catalogued as “C34,” with musical incipits, by Benjamin McKay Ayotte, Heinrich Schenker: a Guide to Research (New York: Routledge, 2004), pp. 26–32.

7 Violin has had to go to Berlin, leaving behind him lessons with two families, the Leiners and the Wieners, that he has asked Schenker to take over for the period of his absence. This is one of four letters from Schenker which discuss lesson visits and the fee to be charged. The others, all in 1900, are: OJ 6/3, [12] (?February 1), OJ 6/3, [13] (February 8), and OJ 6/3, [20] (December 11). (There are twelve entries under “Leiner” in Lehmann’s street directory of Vienna for 1900.)