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OJ 6/4, [27] - Handwritten letter from Schenker to Moriz Violin, undated [summer 1903]
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Versäume ja nicht, morgen bei der Piccolo-Partie, die beiden Alles besser u. klarer wissenden Flegel R. u. G. 2 mit der Mitteilung aufzuziehen, daß nunmehr, wie der dumme, nervöse Schenker sagte, es fortan mehrere K. K. Professoren am Cons. geben wird. Jeder, der halbwegs gesunden Menschenverstand hat, u. nicht im Fett des Geldes u. der beschränkten Indolenz erstickt, mußte das Gesetz der Entwicklung kennen, {2} wornach Professor No 1 noch immer einen Professor No 2 geben wird u. s. f. Auch sage ich, daß in absehbarer Zeit die Verstaatlichung 3 erfolgen muß † ! Einfach, weil, was Lümmel wie R. u. G. niemals verstehen können, Berlin, Paris, etc. auch in Wien abfärben müssen, dieser Proceß ist unaufhaltsam. 4 Meine Chancen sind besser geworden. 5 Ich wette, daß binnen 2 Jahre {3} G. ins Cons. tritt, duch R’s Einfluß. Frotzle ihn also tüchtig. Exc. Alter ist so ein Hecht. Den weisen Dichter verstanden sie Alle nicht, der sagte, No 1 muß No 2, 3 zeugen. Es lebe die dichterische Intention. G. schrieb mir eine Karte. Will er ernstlich Gmunden besuchen? 6 Ist das deine Klaue? Antwort erbeten. © Transcription Ian Bent, 2022 |
Tomorrow at the Piccolo party, be sure not to neglect to approach the two boors, R. and G., 2 who both know everything better and more clearly, with the information that henceforth, as the stupid, nervous Schenker said, there will be several Imperial-Royal Professors at the Conservatory. Anyone who has an ounce of commensense and isn’t rolling in money and sunk in dull-witted indolence had to be acquainted with the law of development, {2} whereby Professor No. 1 will inevitably beget a Professor No. 2, and so on. Let me also say that in the foreseeable future the transfer to state control 3 is bound † to happen? That is simply because, as cads like R. and G. can never grasp, [?what happened in] Berlin, Paris, etc., must rub off on Vienna: this is an unstoppable process. 4 My chances have improved. 5 I bet that within two years {3} G. will enter the Conservatory through R.’s influence. So poke sly fun at him. His Excellency Alter is such a good fellow. None of them understand the wise poet who said No. 1 must beget No. 2 and No. 3. Long live poetic intent. G. wrote me a postcard. Will he seriously visit Gmunden? 6 Do you have a hand in this? Answer requested. © Translation Ian Bent, 2022 |
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Versäume ja nicht, morgen bei der Piccolo-Partie, die beiden Alles besser u. klarer wissenden Flegel R. u. G. 2 mit der Mitteilung aufzuziehen, daß nunmehr, wie der dumme, nervöse Schenker sagte, es fortan mehrere K. K. Professoren am Cons. geben wird. Jeder, der halbwegs gesunden Menschenverstand hat, u. nicht im Fett des Geldes u. der beschränkten Indolenz erstickt, mußte das Gesetz der Entwicklung kennen, {2} wornach Professor No 1 noch immer einen Professor No 2 geben wird u. s. f. Auch sage ich, daß in absehbarer Zeit die Verstaatlichung 3 erfolgen muß † ! Einfach, weil, was Lümmel wie R. u. G. niemals verstehen können, Berlin, Paris, etc. auch in Wien abfärben müssen, dieser Proceß ist unaufhaltsam. 4 Meine Chancen sind besser geworden. 5 Ich wette, daß binnen 2 Jahre {3} G. ins Cons. tritt, duch R’s Einfluß. Frotzle ihn also tüchtig. Exc. Alter ist so ein Hecht. Den weisen Dichter verstanden sie Alle nicht, der sagte, No 1 muß No 2, 3 zeugen. Es lebe die dichterische Intention. G. schrieb mir eine Karte. Will er ernstlich Gmunden besuchen? 6 Ist das deine Klaue? Antwort erbeten. © Transcription Ian Bent, 2022 |
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Tomorrow at the Piccolo party, be sure not to neglect to approach the two boors, R. and G., 2 who both know everything better and more clearly, with the information that henceforth, as the stupid, nervous Schenker said, there will be several Imperial-Royal Professors at the Conservatory. Anyone who has an ounce of commensense and isn’t rolling in money and sunk in dull-witted indolence had to be acquainted with the law of development, {2} whereby Professor No. 1 will inevitably beget a Professor No. 2, and so on. Let me also say that in the foreseeable future the transfer to state control 3 is bound † to happen? That is simply because, as cads like R. and G. can never grasp, [?what happened in] Berlin, Paris, etc., must rub off on Vienna: this is an unstoppable process. 4 My chances have improved. 5 I bet that within two years {3} G. will enter the Conservatory through R.’s influence. So poke sly fun at him. His Excellency Alter is such a good fellow. None of them understand the wise poet who said No. 1 must beget No. 2 and No. 3. Long live poetic intent. G. wrote me a postcard. Will he seriously visit Gmunden? 6 Do you have a hand in this? Answer requested. © Translation Ian Bent, 2022 |
Footnotes1 Dating this letter is problematic. There is evidence that it dates from 1903, alternatively from 1907 or 1908 (see footnote 3 below). The editor has chosen to date it to the summer of 1903 on the two grounds put forward in footnote 6 below. 2 Piccolo: a card game, involving gambling: cf. list of new card games, of which it is fourth, in a letter probably of March 1903 (OJ 6/4, [25]). “R and G.” are unidentified. 3 Verstaatlichung: Ernst Tittel remarks that the notion of the state taking over the private institution of the Conservatory goes back to as early as 1841, but that it was given impetus when the teaching faculty of the Conservatory submitted a petition to the Ministry for Culture and Education at the beginning of 1907 for harmonization of the conditions of employment of all faculty with those of of state employees. By early spring 1908 it was agreed that transition to the state, including faculty, student body, and administration, would take place by January 1, 1909: Ernst Tittel, Die Wiener Musik Hochschule: vom Konservatorium der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde zur staatlichen Akademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst (Vienna: Verlag Elisabeth Lafite, 1967), pp. 20, 48–50. 4 Schenker seems to be implying that the Berlin, Paris, and other conservatories, came under state control before the date of this letter. 5 Chances, presumably, of obtaining a professorship at the Conservatory. The earliest reference to this prospect occurs in a letter to Busoni of October 8, 1903 (Sbb B II 4424): “I am afraid of a ‘Jewish composition.’ […] That could do me a lot of harm, especially as I stand a very good chance of a theory professorship at the Conservatory here.” 6 The implication of this is that Schenker is writing from Gmunden. The only summer vacation that Schenker spent post 1899 in Gmunden was July (c. 1st) to September (c. 7th), 1903. This is supported by Schenker’s diary and letters from Universal Edition and others written to Busoni (OC 52/10 and 11; Sbb B II 3550 and 3549). Secondly, on October 8, 1903 Schenker wrote to Busoni (Sbb B II 4424): “I stand a very good chance of a theory professorship at the Conservatory here.” It is on the basis of these two internal pieces of evidence that this letter has been editorially dated to summer 1903. |
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Format† Double underlined |