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{recto}

Post[karte]

Absender: Schenker
Wien, III
Keilgasse 8

An: H. Victor Hammer
in Firenze-Settignano
4 via di Corbignano
Italien

[postmark:] || SETTIGNANO | 22 10 25 | ( 25-20 31 ||

[postmark:] || 1 WIEN 77 | 18 X 25–12 | * 16 * ||

[postmark:] || 1 WIEN 77 | [illeg] | ( * 16 * ||
{verso}

Mein lieber Herr Hammer 1

Vom Herausgeber der „Musik“ erhielt ich postwendend folgendes: 2

„Ich bestätige bestens dankend den Empfang Ihres Bildnis. Sobald sich Gelegenheit finden sollte, das Bild in der „Musik“ zu veröffentlichen, vielleicht anläßlich eines Essays über Sie, wurde ich mich mit Vergnügen diese ausgezeichnete Vorlage bedienen.“ 3

Hoffentlich meint er es auf ernst. Vermutlich wird Vrieslander um den Essay geboten werden. Ich sage: hoffentlich, vermutlich, denn die Atonalen sind nicht nur gegenüber der Musik, sondern auch gegenüber den Menschen in der Regel charakterlos.


Mit herzlichsten Grüßen an Sie u. Ihre verehrte Frau Gemalin
von uns Beiden
Ihr
[signed:] H Schenker

18. X. 1925

© Transcription Hedi Siegel & Stephanie Probst, 2023

{recto}

Post[card]

From: Schenker
Vienna III
Keilgasse 8

To: Mr. Victor Hammer
in Florence-Settignano
4 via di Corbignano
Italy

[postmark:] || SETTIGNANO | 22 10 25 | ( 25-20 31 ||

[postmark:] || 1 VIENNA 77 | 18 X 25–12 | * 16 * ||

[postmark:] || 1 VIENNA 77 | [illeg] | ( * 16 * ||
{verso}

My dear Mr. Hammer 1

I received the following by return mail from the editor of Die Musik : 2

“I gratefully acknowledge receipt of your portrait. As soon as an opportunity is found to publish the picture in Die Musik , perhaps accompanying an essay about you, I will with pleasure make use of this excellent master copy.” 3

Hopefully he means it. Presumably Vrieslander will be asked to write the essay. I say: hopefully, presumably, for the atonalists are as a rule unprincipled not only in regard to music, but also in regard to people.


With most cordial best wishes to you and your revered wife
from us both,
Your
[signed:] H. Schenker

October 18, 1925

© Translation Hedi Siegel & Stephanie Probst, 2023

{recto}

Post[karte]

Absender: Schenker
Wien, III
Keilgasse 8

An: H. Victor Hammer
in Firenze-Settignano
4 via di Corbignano
Italien

[postmark:] || SETTIGNANO | 22 10 25 | ( 25-20 31 ||

[postmark:] || 1 WIEN 77 | 18 X 25–12 | * 16 * ||

[postmark:] || 1 WIEN 77 | [illeg] | ( * 16 * ||
{verso}

Mein lieber Herr Hammer 1

Vom Herausgeber der „Musik“ erhielt ich postwendend folgendes: 2

„Ich bestätige bestens dankend den Empfang Ihres Bildnis. Sobald sich Gelegenheit finden sollte, das Bild in der „Musik“ zu veröffentlichen, vielleicht anläßlich eines Essays über Sie, wurde ich mich mit Vergnügen diese ausgezeichnete Vorlage bedienen.“ 3

Hoffentlich meint er es auf ernst. Vermutlich wird Vrieslander um den Essay geboten werden. Ich sage: hoffentlich, vermutlich, denn die Atonalen sind nicht nur gegenüber der Musik, sondern auch gegenüber den Menschen in der Regel charakterlos.


Mit herzlichsten Grüßen an Sie u. Ihre verehrte Frau Gemalin
von uns Beiden
Ihr
[signed:] H Schenker

18. X. 1925

© Transcription Hedi Siegel & Stephanie Probst, 2023

{recto}

Post[card]

From: Schenker
Vienna III
Keilgasse 8

To: Mr. Victor Hammer
in Florence-Settignano
4 via di Corbignano
Italy

[postmark:] || SETTIGNANO | 22 10 25 | ( 25-20 31 ||

[postmark:] || 1 VIENNA 77 | 18 X 25–12 | * 16 * ||

[postmark:] || 1 VIENNA 77 | [illeg] | ( * 16 * ||
{verso}

My dear Mr. Hammer 1

I received the following by return mail from the editor of Die Musik : 2

“I gratefully acknowledge receipt of your portrait. As soon as an opportunity is found to publish the picture in Die Musik , perhaps accompanying an essay about you, I will with pleasure make use of this excellent master copy.” 3

Hopefully he means it. Presumably Vrieslander will be asked to write the essay. I say: hopefully, presumably, for the atonalists are as a rule unprincipled not only in regard to music, but also in regard to people.


With most cordial best wishes to you and your revered wife
from us both,
Your
[signed:] H. Schenker

October 18, 1925

© Translation Hedi Siegel & Stephanie Probst, 2023

Footnotes

1 Writing of this postcard is recorded in Schenker’s diary for October 18, 1925: “An Hammer (K.): Schusters Antwort.” (“To Hammer (postcard): Schuster’s reply.”). – A photocopy of this postcard (which is preserved at the New York Public Library) exists as OJ 5/15a, [17]. — On the same date Schenker also wrote to Wilhlem Altmann: “An Altmann (K.): Schusters Antwort bekanntgegeben – kündige das Bild an.” (“To Altmann (postcard): I inform him of Schuster’s reply – inform [him] of the picture.”).

2 Schenker had sent the master copy of the portrait, along with a letter, to Bernhard Schuster (editor of Die Musik) on October 11. See JOB 94-3, [16].

3 The diary for October 17, 1925 records the receipt of Schuster’s letter: “Von Schuster (Br.): wird bei Gelegenheit vielleicht eines Essays das Bild bringen.” (“From Schuster (letter): he will publish the picture, perhaps alongside an essay.”). See also Schenker’s letter to Moriz Violin of October 25, 1925 (OJ 6/7, [25]), which includes a summary of the plans to publish the portrait and essay. Hammer’s portrait, together with Vrieslander’s essay, was published in Die Musik, xix (October 1926), 33–38; a clipping is preserved in Schenker's scrapbook at OC 2/p. 70.

Commentary

Format
printed postcard: holograph sender and recipient addresses, postage stamps and postmarks, recto; holograph salutation, message, valediction, and signature, verso
Provenance
Viktor Hammer (document date--1967)--Carolyn Reading Hammer (1967-1992)--New York Public Library (1992-)
Rights Holder
Heirs of Heinrich Schenker; deemed to be in the public domain
License
Deemed to be in the public domain. Any claim to intellectual rights on this document should be addressed to the Schenker Documents Online, at schenkercorrespondence (at) mus (dot) cam (dot) uk

Digital version created: 2023-07-20
Last updated: 2011-02-12