Schenker Documents Online: Gustav Harpner

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Profiles Person Place Organization Work by Schenker Journal Musical Composition Downloads temporarily removed for testing purposes	Gustav Harpner born Brünn [Brno}, March 25,1864; died Vienna, July 10,1924 Documents associated with this person: Correspondence Diaries Lawyer, member of the committee of the Vienna Bar Association 1906-15, its Vice-President 1916-20, President 1922-24; after 1918 engaged in the legal separation between the state and the Habsburg dynasty. A "Dr. Harpner," possibly the above lawyer, was involved in the abortive attempt by Schenker and others in 1912 to set up an "Organization for Creative and Performing Artists". No correspondence between him and Schenker is known to survive. (There is also a Stefan G. Harpner who had correspondence with Oswald Jonas 1963-65, 1970, using the letterhead of Universal Edition Vienna (OJ 36/23; 36/139), and a letter of 1970 from him to Joseph Stein using the letterhead of Theodore Presser Company, PA (OJ 71/15), but for reasons of chronology this seems unlikely to be the person referred to.) Sources: Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon 1815-1950, vol.2 (Lfg 7), p.190 (and online) Reiter, Ilse, "'… der Advokat, der dem Kaiser das letzte Hemd wegnahm.' Zum Wirken Gustav Harpners (1864–1924)," in Gerald Kohl, Christian Neschwara, and Thomas Simon, eds, Festschrift für Wilhelm Brauneder zum 65. Geburtstag: Rechtsgeschichte mit internationaler Perspektive (Vienna: Manzsche Verlags- und Universitätsbuchhandlung, 2008), pp. 541-58 Private communication from Ilse Reiter-Zatloukal (May 9, 2008) Downloads temporarily removed for testing purposes Correspondence WSLB 116 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated June 2, 1912 Schenker observes acidly that the Ninth Symphony score project has been dropped. He asks [in the face of the threat of author correction cost demands] for an honorarium for correcting the proofs of his monograph Beethovens neunte Sinfonie. He demands to know whether Hertzka is serious about the plan for an edition of the last five Beethoven sonatas. He repeats his inquiry as to the number of copies of his Instrumentations-Tabelle, 2nd edition, that have so far been released. WSLB 118 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), date June 4, 1912 Schenker urges Hertzka to contact Dr. Harpner in connection with the planned Organization. He reiterates his demands regarding payment for the planned last five Beethoven sonata edition, specifying the sums, and disputes Hertzka's counterargument. OC 52/493 Typewritten letter from Hertzka (UE) to Schenker, dated June 8, 1912 Hertzka makes a firm proposition on payment for the Beethoven last five sonatas, and seeks clarification on contact with Dr. Harpner. WSLB 120 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated June 9, 1912 A long letter, biblical in tone, in which Schenker prophesies that a "Flood of the moderns" will come to pass, and in Noah's ark his works will "occupy the place of honor," and that a "bright new light" will establish Universal Edition as superior to the German publishers. He accepts Hertzka's terms for the Beethoven Last Five Sonatas edition for now. He again urges Hertzka to contact Dr. Harpner regarding the planned Organization of Creative and Performing Musicians. He encourages Hertzka to deal more generously with Hans Weisse. WSLB 121 Handwritter letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated June 13[?], 1912 Schenker reports the state of play [on the Organisation] and again urges Hertzka to contact Dr. Harpner. WSLB 123 Handwritter letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated June 24, 1912 Schenker reports improved agreement among the supporters of the planned Organization. -- He asks for his contract for his edition of Op. 109, and asks yet again for the fee for correcting proofs of Beethovens neunte Sinfonie. OC 52/92 Typewritten letter from Hertzka (UE) to Schenker, dated July 19, 1912 Hertzka sends the draft contract for Die letzten fünf Sonaten, and will deal with the Musicians' Organization in the fall. WSLB 133 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), undated [August 26, 1912] Recounting the backstory of the move to found an [Austrian] organization of musicians, and painting it as a rearguard action by performers against the dominance of Neue freie Presse chief critic Julius Korngold and certain concert agents, Schenker reports an approach from Hugo Heller in Germany, and presses Hertzka to reveal how committed he is to the cause. — Remarking on the lack of coverage of music in [Austrian] newspapers, he complains at the timid tone of Universal Edition's advertising of his own works. OC 52/97 Typewritten letter from Hertzka (UE) to Schenker, dated August 28, 1912 In an important letter on the plan for an organization of composers and concert musicians, Hertzka declares himself willing to be involved, sets out a timetable, issues a caution, and raises the issue of finance; in dealings with Hugo Heller, UE's and his own name should not yet be divulged. OC 52/98 Typewritten letter from Hertzka (UE) to Schenker, dated September 16, 1912 In sending the first installment of Schenker's honorarium for the Last Five Sonatas of Beethoven, Hertzka apologizes for its delay. — He asks for a meeting about the Organization. WSLB 137 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated September 24, 1912 Schenker reports developments on the Organization front and also the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde's "Hochschule" front. OC 52/100 Typewritten letter from Hertzka (UE) to Schenker, dated September 27, 1912 Hertzka has tried and failed to telephone Dr. Harpner because he is ill. OC 52/102 Typewritten letter from Hertzka (UE) to Schenker, dated October 3, 1912 Hertzka gives his reaction to a letter from Hugo Heller to Schenker. WSLB 140 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated October14, 1912 Dr. Harpner is recovered; Schenker hopes to see Hugo Heller shortly. -- He prompts yet again for the "supplementary honorarium." OC 52/104 Typewritten letter from Hertzka (UE) to Schenker, dated October 23, 1912 Hertzka will speak with Harpner next week. Diaries Diary entry by Schenker for 15 February 1912 Diary entry by Schenker for 21 September 1912 Diary entry by Schenker for 31 January 1913 Diary entry by Schenker for 5 August 1920