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OJ 5/7a, [31] (formerly vC 31) - Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cube, dated November 1, 1930
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Im August erhielt ich (nach Galtür) von H Weisse einen Bf mit Beilagen, der mir sehr viel Freude machte. Über „dringende Empfehlung“ Dr Furtwänglers hat sich der vielgenannte Ministerialrat Dr Leo Kestenberg ( preuss. Unterrichtsministerium ) 2 mit eine mr Briefchen Einladung an Weisse gewandt, Vorlesungen in Berlin abzuhalten. Selbstverständlich ging es Beiden schon vornherein um meine Lehre. Weisse erklärte seinen {2} Standpunkt ( Schenker ) u. schlug 10 Themen vor, da es um 3 Vorlesungen geht. Prof. Kestenberg anwortete in Worten, die eine verblüffende Erkenntnis von der Bedeutung meiner Lebensarbeit enthüllen. Gerade Schenker berühre ihn sehr sympathisch, gerade er sei zeitgemäß geworden, da man die klassischen Grundgesetze zurückzugewinnen sucht, gerade seine Theorie stehe „in engster Verbindung mit der Praxis“(!) Nicht einmal Musiker konnten sich bis heute zu dieser entscheidenden Erkenntnis emporschwingen, erst ein offizieller Ton eines Berliner Ministerialrates bringt die Wende. Weisse wird am 6 Dez. die {3} erste Vorlesung vor Lehrern in Berlin halten u. dann 2–3 mal an anderen Stellen. Ich teile Ihnen das freudige Ereignis mit, damit Sie gegebenfalls, wann die Zerstörungswüterische um Sie herum gar zu arg toben, Schutz u. Zuflucht bei den Worten u. den Taten Kestenbergs finden mögen. Prof. Jöhde [sic] 3 scheint ausgespielt zu haben, Halm 4 ist schon gestorben, so scheint denn Kestenberg , wohl auch sehr unter dem Einfluß Furtwänglers, eine Wendung zu mir zu machen. Freilich aber, meine Sache ist schwieriger. Erst bis der “fr. S.” herausgekommen sein wird, dann mag der Selbstunterricht beginnen u. {4} sich im Schulunterricht fortsetzen. Haben Sie No 15 u. 16 der „Rheinischen Theater u. Musikztg“ gesehen u. darin den Aufsatz Albersheims’ über mich? 5 Was treiben Sie? Wie werden Sie getrieben? © Transcription William Drabkin, 2006 |
In August I received (in Galtür) a letter from Mr. Weisse with enclosures that gave me great joy. As a result of "an urgent recommendation" from Dr. Furtwängler, Dr Leo Kestenberg (Prussian Ministry of Education ), 2 whose name I have often mentioned, approached Weisse with an note invitation to give lectures in Berlin. Naturally it was understood from the outset by both that the subject would be my theory. Weisse explained his {2} standpoint (Schenker) and suggested ten topics, as there are to be three lectures. Prof. Kestenberg replied in terms that revealed an asstonishing understanding of the significance of my life's work. Schenker in particular is supposed to have struck him as very agreeable, he in particular has become the man of the hour, since we are trying to regain the basic classical principles; his theory in particular stands "in the closest relationship with musical practice"(!) Until now, not even musicians could rise up to this most critical recognition; it took the official tone of a government minister in Berlin to bring about this turn of events. On December 6 Weisse will give his {3} first lecture in Berlin before an audience of teachers and then [repeat it] two or three times elsewhere. I am communicating this happy event so that, when the viciously destructive people all around you are making things too difficult for you, you may find protection and comfort in Kestenberg's words and deeds. Professor Jöde 3 seems to have done all he could, Halm is now dead, 4 thus Kestenberg – almost certainly under Furtwängler's influence, too – seems to be making an approach to me. Admittedly, however, my subject is more difficult: not until Der freie Satz is published can self-study begin and {4} continue in the school curriculum. Have you seen issues 15 and 16 of the Rheinische Theater- u. Musikzeitung , which includes Albersheim's article about me? 5 Volume 3 of my Yearbook 6 will appear in three weeks, at most! What are you working on? What is keeping you going? © Translation William Drabkin, 2006 |
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Im August erhielt ich (nach Galtür) von H Weisse einen Bf mit Beilagen, der mir sehr viel Freude machte. Über „dringende Empfehlung“ Dr Furtwänglers hat sich der vielgenannte Ministerialrat Dr Leo Kestenberg ( preuss. Unterrichtsministerium ) 2 mit eine mr Briefchen Einladung an Weisse gewandt, Vorlesungen in Berlin abzuhalten. Selbstverständlich ging es Beiden schon vornherein um meine Lehre. Weisse erklärte seinen {2} Standpunkt ( Schenker ) u. schlug 10 Themen vor, da es um 3 Vorlesungen geht. Prof. Kestenberg anwortete in Worten, die eine verblüffende Erkenntnis von der Bedeutung meiner Lebensarbeit enthüllen. Gerade Schenker berühre ihn sehr sympathisch, gerade er sei zeitgemäß geworden, da man die klassischen Grundgesetze zurückzugewinnen sucht, gerade seine Theorie stehe „in engster Verbindung mit der Praxis“(!) Nicht einmal Musiker konnten sich bis heute zu dieser entscheidenden Erkenntnis emporschwingen, erst ein offizieller Ton eines Berliner Ministerialrates bringt die Wende. Weisse wird am 6 Dez. die {3} erste Vorlesung vor Lehrern in Berlin halten u. dann 2–3 mal an anderen Stellen. Ich teile Ihnen das freudige Ereignis mit, damit Sie gegebenfalls, wann die Zerstörungswüterische um Sie herum gar zu arg toben, Schutz u. Zuflucht bei den Worten u. den Taten Kestenbergs finden mögen. Prof. Jöhde [sic] 3 scheint ausgespielt zu haben, Halm 4 ist schon gestorben, so scheint denn Kestenberg , wohl auch sehr unter dem Einfluß Furtwänglers, eine Wendung zu mir zu machen. Freilich aber, meine Sache ist schwieriger. Erst bis der “fr. S.” herausgekommen sein wird, dann mag der Selbstunterricht beginnen u. {4} sich im Schulunterricht fortsetzen. Haben Sie No 15 u. 16 der „Rheinischen Theater u. Musikztg“ gesehen u. darin den Aufsatz Albersheims’ über mich? 5 Was treiben Sie? Wie werden Sie getrieben? © Transcription William Drabkin, 2006 |
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In August I received (in Galtür) a letter from Mr. Weisse with enclosures that gave me great joy. As a result of "an urgent recommendation" from Dr. Furtwängler, Dr Leo Kestenberg (Prussian Ministry of Education ), 2 whose name I have often mentioned, approached Weisse with an note invitation to give lectures in Berlin. Naturally it was understood from the outset by both that the subject would be my theory. Weisse explained his {2} standpoint (Schenker) and suggested ten topics, as there are to be three lectures. Prof. Kestenberg replied in terms that revealed an asstonishing understanding of the significance of my life's work. Schenker in particular is supposed to have struck him as very agreeable, he in particular has become the man of the hour, since we are trying to regain the basic classical principles; his theory in particular stands "in the closest relationship with musical practice"(!) Until now, not even musicians could rise up to this most critical recognition; it took the official tone of a government minister in Berlin to bring about this turn of events. On December 6 Weisse will give his {3} first lecture in Berlin before an audience of teachers and then [repeat it] two or three times elsewhere. I am communicating this happy event so that, when the viciously destructive people all around you are making things too difficult for you, you may find protection and comfort in Kestenberg's words and deeds. Professor Jöde 3 seems to have done all he could, Halm is now dead, 4 thus Kestenberg – almost certainly under Furtwängler's influence, too – seems to be making an approach to me. Admittedly, however, my subject is more difficult: not until Der freie Satz is published can self-study begin and {4} continue in the school curriculum. Have you seen issues 15 and 16 of the Rheinische Theater- u. Musikzeitung , which includes Albersheim's article about me? 5 Volume 3 of my Yearbook 6 will appear in three weeks, at most! What are you working on? What is keeping you going? © Translation William Drabkin, 2006 |
Footnotes1 Writing of this letter is recorded in Schenker's diary at OJ 4/4, p. 3533, November 1, 1930: "An v. Cube (Br.): teile von Weisse u. Kestenberg mit, um ihn einen Halt gegenüber andringenden Musikern zu geben, in einem auch zu bestätigen, daß er im Rechte war gegenüber seinem Vater, denn ohne Zweifel hätte er bei längerem Studium sich sehr wohl dazu geeignet, eine ähnliche Rolle wie Weisse zu spielen." ("To von Cube (letter): I tell him about Weisse and Kestenberg, in order to give him a foothold where pushy musicians are concerned, also to assert that he was in the right with respect to his father, for without doubt, had he had a longer period of study, he would have equipped himself very well to play a role similar to that of Weisse."). 2 Leo Kestenberg (1882–1962), who taught at both the Stern Conservatory and the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory in Berlin, and was appointed to the Ministry of Science, Art, and Education in 1918, rising to a high position in the division of Art. His name frequently comes up in the correspondence as someone favorably disposed toward the dissemination of Schenker's ideas by German educators. 3 Fritz Jöde (1887–1970), German music pedagogue, especially important in youth music. In the 1920s he was active in Berlin, where he founded (1923) the first state-run youth music school. He wrote numerous books on music pedagogy and edited several collections of songs, including the popular Der Kanon (1925). 4 Halm's death was noted in the brief discussion of the secondary literature on the Eroica Symphony in Das Meisterwerk in Der Musik, vol. 3. 5 Gerhard Albersheim, "Heinrich Schenker: Grundlagen und Bedeutung seines Werkes." A copy is preserved in Schenker's Scrapbook (OC 2/p. 80) and also as OJ 12/23. 6 Das Meisterwerk in Der Musik, vol. 3, which bears the publication date 1930 but was not actually brought out until early 1931. The volume, which is shorter than either of the previous "yearbooks" in the series, is dominated by the analysis of Beethoven's Eroica Symphony. |
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Digital version created: 2006-11-03 |