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OJ 8/4, [23] - Handwritten postcard from Heinrich Schenker to Moriz Violin, dated June 11, 1923
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⇧ Absender: ⇧ Dr H Schenker Wien, III., Keilgasse 8 ⇧ An: ⇧ H. Prof. M. Violin Hamburg. Woldsenweg 3 Deutschland [postmark:] || 3/3 WIEN 49 | 12. VI. 23 IX – | * 4a * || [in Violin's hand:] 18 x 18 144 324. [For continuation of recto see below] {verso} 11. VI Fl! 1 Auf Leittonangelegenheit (hübsch gefragt u. geschrieben) komme ich erst in Galtür zurück, von wo aus du einen Brief als Erster erhältst. Jetzt geht es dann doch noch nicht. Aber es drängt mich, auf dein letztes Schreiben 2 hin, vorläufig zu sagen, daß ich genau dort bin, wo du stehst. Der Deutsche gleicht in Geistgenuß dem Juden, u. hat alle Nachteile der halben Bildung (die eine volle doch niemals bei Millionen sein kann): Zerrissenheit, Partei u.s.w. Jeder „weiß“ alles, jeder liest, schreibt. – 3 Zufällig lese ich in der „ D. Allg. Ztg “ vom 10. VI. (Sonntagsnummer) dieselbe Begründung (die ich übrigens schon vorher an Dahms schrieb, 4 wie im „TW.“4 das dich dieser Tage erreicht). Vorzüglich auch Frenssen in seinen „Briefen aus Amerika“ [in left margin:]bei Grote [end marginalia], der die Völker in ihrer Tierheit entlarvt u. schreit: „Schlage sie nieder in deiner Mitte, die weichherzig sind, die von Glauben u. Vertrauen reden. Schlag sie nieder, denn ihre Rede bedeutet Tuberkulose verkrüppelte Kinder, durch Enge u. Hoffnungslosigkeit angefressene, sinkende Sittlich- {recto} keit, u. Schande. ... Unter Tieren, Deutschland! Unter nichts als Tieren! Du hast es erfahren.“ Ein Pastor redet so, also niederschlagen! Wüßte deutsche Halbbildung, was für Gesindel an Unbildung die Engl., Franz[.], Italiener sind, voran die Amerikaner, wäre es gleich besser, aber sie hat zu viel Respekt vor jenen Tieren. 5 Mittwoch sind wir, hoffe ich, bei Eduard Abds. zu Tisch. Aus Galtür gleich sehr viel. Abreise am 24. Dir, deine Frau u. den kleinen schönste Grüße von mir u. Lie-Liechen. [in left margin, written sideways, including parenthesis:] [signed:] dein HS © Transcription William Drabkin, 2011 |
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⇧ From: ⇧ Dr. H. Schenker, Vienna III, Keilgasse 8 ⇧ To: ⇧ Prof. M. Violin, Hamburg, Woldsenweg 3 Germany [postmark:] || 3/3 VIENNA 49 | 12. VI. 23 IX – | * 4a * || [in Violin's hand:] 18 x 18 144 324. [For continuation of recto see below] {verso} June 11 Floriz, 1 I shall get back to you on the leading-tone matter (nicely asked and written), but not until I am in Galtür, from where you will be the first to receive a letter. It simply is not possible just now. But I feel compelled to say in the interim in response to your most recent letter 2 that I am absolutely of one mind with you. The German is like the Jew in intellectual consumption, and has all the disadvantages of his superficial education (which, in the case of millions, can certainly never be a full education): inner turmoil, partisanship, etc. Everyone "knows" everything, everyone reads, writes. – 3 By chance, I read in the Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung for June 10 (Sunday issue) the very same argument (which, incidentally, I had already previously written to Dahms, 4 as I did in Tonwille 4, which will reach you one of these days). Frenssen , too, in his Letters from America [in left margin:] published by Grote [end marginalia], puts it excellently when he reveals the nations in their animality and cries: "Strike down those in your midst who are soft-hearted, who talk of belief and trust. Strike them down, for their talk signifies children crippled with tuberculosis, corroded with narrowness and hopelessness, sinking morality {recto} and shame. … Germany is ruled by animals! By nothing but animals! You have experienced it." A pastor speaks in this way: then strike [them] down! If only superficial German education knew what a totally uneducated rabble the English, French, and Italians are, and above all the Americans, things would instantly be better, but it has too much respect for these animals. 5 On Wednesday we shall, I hope, be at Eduard's place for dinner. Much more from Galtür. Departure on the 24th. To you, your wife, and the little ones Warmest greetings from Lie-Liechen and myself, [in left margin, written sideways, including parenthesis:] [signed:] Your HS © Translation William Drabkin, 2011 |
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⇧ Absender: ⇧ Dr H Schenker Wien, III., Keilgasse 8 ⇧ An: ⇧ H. Prof. M. Violin Hamburg. Woldsenweg 3 Deutschland [postmark:] || 3/3 WIEN 49 | 12. VI. 23 IX – | * 4a * || [in Violin's hand:] 18 x 18 144 324. [For continuation of recto see below] {verso} 11. VI Fl! 1 Auf Leittonangelegenheit (hübsch gefragt u. geschrieben) komme ich erst in Galtür zurück, von wo aus du einen Brief als Erster erhältst. Jetzt geht es dann doch noch nicht. Aber es drängt mich, auf dein letztes Schreiben 2 hin, vorläufig zu sagen, daß ich genau dort bin, wo du stehst. Der Deutsche gleicht in Geistgenuß dem Juden, u. hat alle Nachteile der halben Bildung (die eine volle doch niemals bei Millionen sein kann): Zerrissenheit, Partei u.s.w. Jeder „weiß“ alles, jeder liest, schreibt. – 3 Zufällig lese ich in der „ D. Allg. Ztg “ vom 10. VI. (Sonntagsnummer) dieselbe Begründung (die ich übrigens schon vorher an Dahms schrieb, 4 wie im „TW.“4 das dich dieser Tage erreicht). Vorzüglich auch Frenssen in seinen „Briefen aus Amerika“ [in left margin:]bei Grote [end marginalia], der die Völker in ihrer Tierheit entlarvt u. schreit: „Schlage sie nieder in deiner Mitte, die weichherzig sind, die von Glauben u. Vertrauen reden. Schlag sie nieder, denn ihre Rede bedeutet Tuberkulose verkrüppelte Kinder, durch Enge u. Hoffnungslosigkeit angefressene, sinkende Sittlich- {recto} keit, u. Schande. ... Unter Tieren, Deutschland! Unter nichts als Tieren! Du hast es erfahren.“ Ein Pastor redet so, also niederschlagen! Wüßte deutsche Halbbildung, was für Gesindel an Unbildung die Engl., Franz[.], Italiener sind, voran die Amerikaner, wäre es gleich besser, aber sie hat zu viel Respekt vor jenen Tieren. 5 Mittwoch sind wir, hoffe ich, bei Eduard Abds. zu Tisch. Aus Galtür gleich sehr viel. Abreise am 24. Dir, deine Frau u. den kleinen schönste Grüße von mir u. Lie-Liechen. [in left margin, written sideways, including parenthesis:] [signed:] dein HS © Transcription William Drabkin, 2011 |
{recto}
⇧ From: ⇧ Dr. H. Schenker, Vienna III, Keilgasse 8 ⇧ To: ⇧ Prof. M. Violin, Hamburg, Woldsenweg 3 Germany [postmark:] || 3/3 VIENNA 49 | 12. VI. 23 IX – | * 4a * || [in Violin's hand:] 18 x 18 144 324. [For continuation of recto see below] {verso} June 11 Floriz, 1 I shall get back to you on the leading-tone matter (nicely asked and written), but not until I am in Galtür, from where you will be the first to receive a letter. It simply is not possible just now. But I feel compelled to say in the interim in response to your most recent letter 2 that I am absolutely of one mind with you. The German is like the Jew in intellectual consumption, and has all the disadvantages of his superficial education (which, in the case of millions, can certainly never be a full education): inner turmoil, partisanship, etc. Everyone "knows" everything, everyone reads, writes. – 3 By chance, I read in the Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung for June 10 (Sunday issue) the very same argument (which, incidentally, I had already previously written to Dahms, 4 as I did in Tonwille 4, which will reach you one of these days). Frenssen , too, in his Letters from America [in left margin:] published by Grote [end marginalia], puts it excellently when he reveals the nations in their animality and cries: "Strike down those in your midst who are soft-hearted, who talk of belief and trust. Strike them down, for their talk signifies children crippled with tuberculosis, corroded with narrowness and hopelessness, sinking morality {recto} and shame. … Germany is ruled by animals! By nothing but animals! You have experienced it." A pastor speaks in this way: then strike [them] down! If only superficial German education knew what a totally uneducated rabble the English, French, and Italians are, and above all the Americans, things would instantly be better, but it has too much respect for these animals. 5 On Wednesday we shall, I hope, be at Eduard's place for dinner. Much more from Galtür. Departure on the 24th. To you, your wife, and the little ones Warmest greetings from Lie-Liechen and myself, [in left margin, written sideways, including parenthesis:] [signed:] Your HS © Translation William Drabkin, 2011 |
Footnotes1 Writing of the postcard is recorded at OJ 3/4, p. 2519, June 11, 1923: "An Fl. (K.): als vorläufige Antwort: teile seinen anti-jüdischen Standpunkt, zitiere Frensens, „schlage die nieder“ u.s.w." ("To Floriz (postcard): as pro-tem answer: I share his anti-Jewish viewpoint, cite Frensens, strike them down etc."). 2 = OJ 14/45, [22], May 31, 1923. 3 No paragraph-break in source. 4 Schenker's letter to Dahms is not known to survive, but its writing is recorded in Schenker's diary at OJ 3/4, p. 2519, June 10, 1923: "An Dahms (Br.): über die Stellen in op. 81a; Deutschlands Untergang infolge der Halbbildung u. auch darüber, daß in den Bezirken des Geistes so wenig Raum für Alle ist, nur an Nahrung für die Menschen genügend Vorrat ist." ("To Dahms (letter): on the passages in [Beethoven’s Sonata in E flat,] Op. 81a; Germany's decline as a consequence of superficial education, and also concerning the fact that in the realms of the mind there is so little room for everything, merely sufficient reserves just for nourishment for men."). Dahms's reply is OJ 10/1, [79], June 15, 1923. 5 No paragraph-break in source. 6 In the same month that Tonwille 4 was released, Schenker’s analysis of the Prelude in C minor from Book 1 of the Well-Tempered Clavier was published in Die Musik 15/9 (June 1923), 641–51; this is his only analysis for a journal other than those he edited himself. (A revised version of the analysis was published in Meisterwerk 2, together with that of its companion fugue which forms the basis of the essay "Das Organische der Fuge"). |