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OJ 15/15, [F] - Handwritten letter from Weisse to Schenker, undated



Liebster Meister! 1

Generalproben 2 sind immer viel zu spät aus ‒ dies die Ursache, dass ich heute nicht kommen konnte! Bitte vielmals um Verzeihung! Wollen Sie liebster Doktor, mich verständigen[,] wann ich Sie wegen des Elfenliedes, und der Klavierstücke sehen könnte? 3


Ihr treuer
[signed:] Hans.
22./XII. Dez.

Fröhliche[s] Weihnachten!

© Transcription William Drabkin, 2008


Dearest Master, 1

Dress rehearsals 2 always run very late ‒ this is the reason why I could not come today. I ask you many times to forgive me! Would you, dearest Dr. [Schenker], let me know when I could see you about the Elfenlied and the piano pieces! 3


Your trusty
[signed:] Hans
22/XII December

Merry Christmas!

© Translation William Drabkin, 2008


Liebster Meister! 1

Generalproben 2 sind immer viel zu spät aus ‒ dies die Ursache, dass ich heute nicht kommen konnte! Bitte vielmals um Verzeihung! Wollen Sie liebster Doktor, mich verständigen[,] wann ich Sie wegen des Elfenliedes, und der Klavierstücke sehen könnte? 3


Ihr treuer
[signed:] Hans.
22./XII. Dez.

Fröhliche[s] Weihnachten!

© Transcription William Drabkin, 2008


Dearest Master, 1

Dress rehearsals 2 always run very late ‒ this is the reason why I could not come today. I ask you many times to forgive me! Would you, dearest Dr. [Schenker], let me know when I could see you about the Elfenlied and the piano pieces! 3


Your trusty
[signed:] Hans
22/XII December

Merry Christmas!

© Translation William Drabkin, 2008

Footnotes

1 The roman numeral "XII" in the date at the foot of the letter either duplicates the month "Dez." (i.e. December) or abbreviates "1912." 1912 is unlikely because the lessonbook records no lessons at all on the 22nd, which was a Monday thus not a regular lesson day for Weisse (he did not, however, attend the next day, which was a regular day and other lessons were given). 1913 is impossible because the diary tells us that Weisse did visit Schenker on the 22nd. No lessonbook evidence is given for 1914, after which Weisse was on war service, and by the time he returned for lessons in 1918‒19 he had ceased bringing his compositions to lessons. (For the definitive account of Schenker's early compositions and composition study, see Timothy L. Jackson, "Punctus contra punctus ‒ a Counterpoint of Schenkerian and Weissian Analysis and Hans Weisse's Counterpoint Studies with Heinrich Schenker," Journal of Schenkerian Studies, iv (2010), pp. 87‒186, esp. pp. 119‒24.) It is possible that the letter dates from 1908, 1909, 1910, or 1911, for which no lessonbooks exist, and no relevant diary entries are recorded.

2 This may refer to a play that Weisse's father was directing or producing, and which Weisse was obliged to attend, or perhaps something in which he was performing.

3 Nothing is known of an Elfenlied by Weisse, or which piano pieces are indicated. There is no discussion of such works at Weisse's next lesson. Poems bearing that title were written by Goethe (1780) and Mörike (1830).

Commentary

Format
1p letter, holograph salutation, message, valediction, signature, and Christmas greetings
Provenance
Schenker, Heinrich (document date-1935)--Schenker, Jeanette (1935-c.1942)--Ratz, Erwin (c.1942-c.1945)--Jonas, Oswald (c.1945-1978)--University of California, Riverside (1978--)
Rights Holder
Heirs of Hans Weisse, reproduced with kind permission
License
Permission to publish granted on March 10, 2008 by the heirs of Hans Weisse. Any claim to intellectual rights on this document should be addressed to the Schenker Documents Online, Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge, at schenkercorrespondence[at]mus(dot)cam(dot)ac(dot)uk

Digital version created: 2019-10-21
Last updated: 2010-06-25