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OJ 5/18, 6 - Handwritten letter from Schenker to Jonas, dated April 1, 1931
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Vor Allem beglückwünsche ich Sie zum Erfolg bei Dr E. 2 Endlich. — Beiliegend eine Visitenkarte Mozart’s, die ich selbst in der Druckerei habe herstellen lassen. 3 Ihnen brauche ich kaum zu sagen, was mich beim Anblick dieser Worte, der höchsten Offenbarung, die aus Geniemund uns kam, so glücklich u. dankbar, wider Gott stimmt. (Näheres über die Herkunft der Stelle in einem besonderen Aufsatz. 4 ) – In Tw. 5 finden [Sie] {2} die nötige Auskunft 5 : es geht um die c moll Fuge II, ich selbst habe die Handschrift u. darin das + gesehen. (Die Hdsch. gehört der Ges. d. Musikfr.) Sehr eilig! Mit bestem Gruß Ihr [signed:] H Schenker 1. 4. 31 © Transcription John Rothgeb, 2006 |
First off, I congratulate you on your success with Dr. Einstein. 2 Finally. — Enclosed is a calling card of Mozart's, which I myself have had produced at the printery. 3 I hardly need tell you how the sight of these words, the highest revelation, which came to us from the mouth of genius, made me feel so happy and thankful toward God. (More about the origin of the passage in a special essay. 4 ) In Der Tonwille 5 you will find {2} the necessary information: 5 it concerns the C-minor Fugue of Book II; I have personally seen the manuscript and the + in it. (The manuscript belongs to the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde.) In great haste! With warmest greetings, Your [signed:] H. Schenker April 1, 1931 © Translation John Rothgeb, 2006 |
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Vor Allem beglückwünsche ich Sie zum Erfolg bei Dr E. 2 Endlich. — Beiliegend eine Visitenkarte Mozart’s, die ich selbst in der Druckerei habe herstellen lassen. 3 Ihnen brauche ich kaum zu sagen, was mich beim Anblick dieser Worte, der höchsten Offenbarung, die aus Geniemund uns kam, so glücklich u. dankbar, wider Gott stimmt. (Näheres über die Herkunft der Stelle in einem besonderen Aufsatz. 4 ) – In Tw. 5 finden [Sie] {2} die nötige Auskunft 5 : es geht um die c moll Fuge II, ich selbst habe die Handschrift u. darin das + gesehen. (Die Hdsch. gehört der Ges. d. Musikfr.) Sehr eilig! Mit bestem Gruß Ihr [signed:] H Schenker 1. 4. 31 © Transcription John Rothgeb, 2006 |
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First off, I congratulate you on your success with Dr. Einstein. 2 Finally. — Enclosed is a calling card of Mozart's, which I myself have had produced at the printery. 3 I hardly need tell you how the sight of these words, the highest revelation, which came to us from the mouth of genius, made me feel so happy and thankful toward God. (More about the origin of the passage in a special essay. 4 ) In Der Tonwille 5 you will find {2} the necessary information: 5 it concerns the C-minor Fugue of Book II; I have personally seen the manuscript and the + in it. (The manuscript belongs to the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde.) In great haste! With warmest greetings, Your [signed:] H. Schenker April 1, 1931 © Translation John Rothgeb, 2006 |
Footnotes1 Writing of this letter is recorded in Schenker's diary at OJ 4/4, p. 3602, April 1, 1931: "An Jonas, Gerstberger u Albersheim die Mozart-Karte." ("To Jonas, Gerstberger and Albersheim, the Mozart card."). There are other references to the supposed Mozart calling card in the diary around this time. Schenker had a reproduction of the document made, and circulated copies to his friends. 2 Einstein was editor of the Zeitschrift für Musikwissenschaft 1918–33. 3 Schenker had a reproduction of the document made, and circulated copies to his friends. Receipt from the printer is recorded in his diary at OJ 4/4, p. 3601, March 30, 1931: "Von Jahoda, die Mozart-Karten!" ("From Jahoda, the Mozart cards!"). Sending of the first copy is recorded ibid March 31: "An Furtwängler (Br.): die Mozart-Karte, ‒ eine Art österliche Auferstehung." ("To Furtwängler ( letter): the Mozart card ‒ a sort of Easter resurrection.") ‒ Easter Day 1931 being April 5. 4 "Ein verschollener Brief von Mozart und das Geheimnis seines Schaffens," a defense of a purportedly forged letter about Mozart's creative process, which was brought to light by Friedrich Rochlitz in 1815. Schenker's article appeared in Der Kunstwart 44/10 (July 1931), 660–66; a copy of this article is preserved as OC 50/12, and a newspaper clipping with a short reply is found in the Schenker scrapbook (OC 2/p. 84). Schenker also received two letters (OC 50/14 and OC 50/15), one of them from Alfred Einstein, explaining that the musicological world did not accept the letter as genuine. [Note by William Drabkin] 5 See OJ 12/6, [8] and footnote. |
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Digital version created: 2015-07-23 |