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[{envelope}]
{recto}

[An:] Herrn Prof. M. Violin
XIV, Sechshauserstr. 126
Wien VI. Wallgaße 26

[postmark:] || 1/1 WIEN 49 | 23.IX.10 XII‒ | [illeg] ||

{verso}
[Absender:] H Schenker
III., Reisnerstr. 38.

[postmark:] || 45/1 WIEN [illeg] | 23.IX.10.‒8 | * 5b * ||
[postmark:] || BADEN 1 | 24 IX 10 XII‒ | 4a NIEDERÖSTERR. ||


[{letter}]

Mein lieber Freund! 1

Es ist besser, wenn ich dir die Antwort schreiben; ich überlasse es dir, den Gebrauch davon zu machen, wie du ihn für nötig erachtest. 2

Unter welchen Opfern ich im Vorjahre, 3 mitten in der Saison, die Arbeit getan habe, weißt du zur Genüge. Sowohl dir persönlich zu Liebe, als auch dem Institut zu gefallen, an dem du wirkst, verließ ich für Wochen die Korrekturen, u.s.w., in fester Überzeugung, daß H. Dir. Bopp einen eben feststehenden Plan für die Konzerte seines Instituts entworfen, an den er sich selbst halten wollte. Du weißt, wie überrascht ich war, zu bemerken, daß offenbar ja der Plan noch gar nicht feststand; wie es mich verdrießen mußte, davon erst auf dein u. mein Betreiben zu erfahren, u. wie ich die geringe Rücksichtname ‒ um wieviel netter wäre es doch gewesen, wenn ich statt in der Saison im Sommer unter freieren Bedingungen dieselbe Arbeit zu machen gehabt hätte, wo dort das Konzert sowieso nicht stattfand! ‒ übel vermerken mußte. Kein Wort der Entschuldigung, kein Wort {2} des Dankes! 4

Und nun sollte ich diese Arbeiten neuerdings deinem H. Direktor zur Verfügung stellen? Wäre es nicht Elend darum, wenn sie in einem internen Vortragsabend von Schülern aufgeführt gänzlich verpuffen müßten? 5 Da sind mir die herrlichen, vielfach so unvergleichlichen Stücke ‒ ich gestehe es offen ‒ viel zu Liebe, als daß ich nicht doch auf unserem Plan bestehen müßte, sie nur selbst zur Aufführung zu bringen. 6 Wie sehr [?nur] speziell deine persönliche Leistung wertvoll, ja unentbehrlich ist, brauche ich dir ja nicht erst ausdrücklich zu sagen. Mit den Philharmonikern u. dir gewinnt die Sache doch ein besseres Aussehen, u. dieses schulde ich ‒ den Stücken. Bleiben wir also bei dem [?einmal] gefaßtem Plan! 7


Bestem Gruß
Dein
[signed:] Hsch

23. 9. 10.

© Transcription Ian Bent, 2019


[{envelope}]
{recto}

[To:] Prof. M. Violin
XIV, Sechshauserstraße 126
Vienna VI, Wallgaße 26

[postmark:] || 1/1 VIENNA 49 | 23.IX.10 XII‒ | [illeg] ||

{verso}
[From:] H. Schenker
[Vienna] III, Reisnerstraße 38

[postmark:] || 45/1 VIENNA [illeg] | 23.IX.10.‒8 | * 5b * ||
[postmark:] || BADEN 1 | 24 IX 10 XII‒ | 4a LOWER AUSTRIA ||


[{letter}]

My dear Friend, 1

It will be better if I write out the answer for you. I will leave it up to you to make use of it as you deem necessary. 2

You well know with what sacrifices I have in the previous year, 3 in the midst of the teaching year, done the [editorial] work. Both for your sake personally and also to please the institution at which you work, I abandoned correcting proofs etc. for weeks in the firm persuasion that Director Bopp had drawn up a precisely settled plan for the concerts of his institution, to which he himself intended to adhere. You know how surprised I was to discover that the plan was clearly still not in the least bit settled, and how it was bound to annoy me to learn of this only through your and my pursuit of the matter, and how I was bound to take amiss at the little consideration [shown me] ‒ how very much tidier it would surely have been if instead of during the teaching year I had been able to conduct the same work under freeer conditions over the summer, when in any case the concert was not taking place! [There has been] no word of explanation, no word {2} of thanks! 4

And am I now to make these editions available to the Director all over again? Would it not be wretched if at an in-house evening event performed by students they were totally to fail to make an impact? 5 For the magnificent, so utterly incomparable pieces are ‒ I freely admit it ‒ too very close to my heart for me not to insist on our plan to perform them exclusively myself. 6 I don't need to express to you how especially valuable ‒ indeed indispensible — your personal contribution is. With the Philharmonic players and yourself the matter takes on a better aspect, and this I owe to the pieces. Let us therefore stick to our plan as originally conceived! 7


Warmest greetings,
Your
[signed:] Hsch

September 23, 1910

© Translation Ian Bent, 2019


[{envelope}]
{recto}

[An:] Herrn Prof. M. Violin
XIV, Sechshauserstr. 126
Wien VI. Wallgaße 26

[postmark:] || 1/1 WIEN 49 | 23.IX.10 XII‒ | [illeg] ||

{verso}
[Absender:] H Schenker
III., Reisnerstr. 38.

[postmark:] || 45/1 WIEN [illeg] | 23.IX.10.‒8 | * 5b * ||
[postmark:] || BADEN 1 | 24 IX 10 XII‒ | 4a NIEDERÖSTERR. ||


[{letter}]

Mein lieber Freund! 1

Es ist besser, wenn ich dir die Antwort schreiben; ich überlasse es dir, den Gebrauch davon zu machen, wie du ihn für nötig erachtest. 2

Unter welchen Opfern ich im Vorjahre, 3 mitten in der Saison, die Arbeit getan habe, weißt du zur Genüge. Sowohl dir persönlich zu Liebe, als auch dem Institut zu gefallen, an dem du wirkst, verließ ich für Wochen die Korrekturen, u.s.w., in fester Überzeugung, daß H. Dir. Bopp einen eben feststehenden Plan für die Konzerte seines Instituts entworfen, an den er sich selbst halten wollte. Du weißt, wie überrascht ich war, zu bemerken, daß offenbar ja der Plan noch gar nicht feststand; wie es mich verdrießen mußte, davon erst auf dein u. mein Betreiben zu erfahren, u. wie ich die geringe Rücksichtname ‒ um wieviel netter wäre es doch gewesen, wenn ich statt in der Saison im Sommer unter freieren Bedingungen dieselbe Arbeit zu machen gehabt hätte, wo dort das Konzert sowieso nicht stattfand! ‒ übel vermerken mußte. Kein Wort der Entschuldigung, kein Wort {2} des Dankes! 4

Und nun sollte ich diese Arbeiten neuerdings deinem H. Direktor zur Verfügung stellen? Wäre es nicht Elend darum, wenn sie in einem internen Vortragsabend von Schülern aufgeführt gänzlich verpuffen müßten? 5 Da sind mir die herrlichen, vielfach so unvergleichlichen Stücke ‒ ich gestehe es offen ‒ viel zu Liebe, als daß ich nicht doch auf unserem Plan bestehen müßte, sie nur selbst zur Aufführung zu bringen. 6 Wie sehr [?nur] speziell deine persönliche Leistung wertvoll, ja unentbehrlich ist, brauche ich dir ja nicht erst ausdrücklich zu sagen. Mit den Philharmonikern u. dir gewinnt die Sache doch ein besseres Aussehen, u. dieses schulde ich ‒ den Stücken. Bleiben wir also bei dem [?einmal] gefaßtem Plan! 7


Bestem Gruß
Dein
[signed:] Hsch

23. 9. 10.

© Transcription Ian Bent, 2019


[{envelope}]
{recto}

[To:] Prof. M. Violin
XIV, Sechshauserstraße 126
Vienna VI, Wallgaße 26

[postmark:] || 1/1 VIENNA 49 | 23.IX.10 XII‒ | [illeg] ||

{verso}
[From:] H. Schenker
[Vienna] III, Reisnerstraße 38

[postmark:] || 45/1 VIENNA [illeg] | 23.IX.10.‒8 | * 5b * ||
[postmark:] || BADEN 1 | 24 IX 10 XII‒ | 4a LOWER AUSTRIA ||


[{letter}]

My dear Friend, 1

It will be better if I write out the answer for you. I will leave it up to you to make use of it as you deem necessary. 2

You well know with what sacrifices I have in the previous year, 3 in the midst of the teaching year, done the [editorial] work. Both for your sake personally and also to please the institution at which you work, I abandoned correcting proofs etc. for weeks in the firm persuasion that Director Bopp had drawn up a precisely settled plan for the concerts of his institution, to which he himself intended to adhere. You know how surprised I was to discover that the plan was clearly still not in the least bit settled, and how it was bound to annoy me to learn of this only through your and my pursuit of the matter, and how I was bound to take amiss at the little consideration [shown me] ‒ how very much tidier it would surely have been if instead of during the teaching year I had been able to conduct the same work under freeer conditions over the summer, when in any case the concert was not taking place! [There has been] no word of explanation, no word {2} of thanks! 4

And am I now to make these editions available to the Director all over again? Would it not be wretched if at an in-house evening event performed by students they were totally to fail to make an impact? 5 For the magnificent, so utterly incomparable pieces are ‒ I freely admit it ‒ too very close to my heart for me not to insist on our plan to perform them exclusively myself. 6 I don't need to express to you how especially valuable ‒ indeed indispensible — your personal contribution is. With the Philharmonic players and yourself the matter takes on a better aspect, and this I owe to the pieces. Let us therefore stick to our plan as originally conceived! 7


Warmest greetings,
Your
[signed:] Hsch

September 23, 1910

© Translation Ian Bent, 2019

Footnotes

1 The postmarks on the envelope show that this letter, which is not recorded in Schenker's diary, was addressed to Violin's home address in the Schönbrunn district, then redirected to the 6th District (Mariahilf), but was ultimately delivered to Violin's summer address in Baden-bei-Wien.

2 This letter is occasioned by the cancelation by Wilhelm Bopp, Director of the Vienna Akademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst of a "historical" concert of works by C.P.E. and J.S. Bach approved by him and planned for January or February 1910. Schenker voiced his rage at the cancelation in his diary for June 1910 ("Director Bopp doesn't keep his word ..." ‒ ), after Bopp presented in place of this concert a performance by students in June of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony which Schenker described as "the most deplorable in the world."

3 Schenker means the "academic" year, i.e. October 1909 to September 1910. The first mention of the concert in question came on October 18, 1909, when Schenker wrote to Emil Hertzka at Universal Edition that through Moriz Violin he had heard that Wilhelm Bopp wished to prepare "an evening so to speak 'historical' in character," and that the program was to comprise two keyboard concertos by C.P.E. Bach, a cantata by J.S. Bach, and possibly a harp concerto by Handel, in editions by Schenker (WSLB 44).

4 Schenker writes continuously at this point without paragraph-break.

5 A prophetic remark, for the works were indeed performed at just such an in-house Vortragsabend under Bopp's musical direction on May 17, 1911 (WSLB 75). Since Schenker makes the distinction between "Konzert" and "Abend," it should be noted in retrospect that his initial report to Hertzka (see footnote 2) was of a plan by Bopp for an "Abend."

6 "selbst": alternatively: "for us ... ourselves." This was evidently the sticking point, plain from the very beginning: Bopp, while asking Schenker to produce the editions, always intended to direct the performances himself; and Schenker's insistence otherwise was the reason for Bopp's cancelation. Ultimately, Schenker and Violin performed all or most of the program with Paul de Conne, Eduard Gärtner, Minna Lefler, a mixed chorus and members of the Philharmonic Orchestra in the Bösendorf Hall on January 13 and again on February 2, 1911, with Violin's booklet Über das sogenannte Continuo, published by Universal Edition, available as a concert guide. Bopp excused himself from attendance (OJ 9/18, [2], January 14, 1911.)

7 Wilhelm Bopp's reply to "communications" that Schenker must eventually have sent (none of which seem to have survived) is OJ 9/18, [1], October 13, 1910.

Commentary

Format
2p letter + envelope: letter: Bogen format, holograph salutation, message, valediction, and signature + envelope: holograph recipient address (with redirection), recto; holograph sender address, verso
Rights Holder
Heirs of Henrich Schenker, deemed to be in the public domain
License
All reasonable steps have been taken to locate the heirs of Heinrich Schenker. 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
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)

Digital version created: 2019-12-05
Last updated: 2011-09-23