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Georg Kinsky

born Marienwerder, Sept 29, 1882; died Berlin, April 7, 1951

Documents associated with this person:

German musicologist, one of the foremost cataloguers of musical instruments and manuscripts of his day, and the principal compiler of Das Werk Beethovens (Munich and Duisburg: Henle, 1955), the standard thematic catalogue of Beethoven's music.

Kinsky worked first in the antiquarian book trade; in 1908, he became assistant to Albert Kopfermann at the Preussische Staatsbibliothek in Berlin; from 1909 to 1927 he was curator and director of the Heyer Musikhistorisches Museum, Cologne; from 1921 until 1932, he also taught in the Musicological Institute at the University of Cologne.

Correspondence with Schenker

Three letters from Kinsky to Schenker are preserved as OC B/231-234 (1913, 1914, 1920), and one letter from him to Otto Erich Deutsch is preserved as OJ 71/21 (1927). Schenker's letters to Kinsky are not known to survive; correspondence between 1913 and 1920 formed part of his search for sources relevant to his Die letzten fünf Sonaten von Beethoven.

Source:

  • MGG1

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Correspondence

  • WSLB 310 Handwritten letter from Schenker to Hertzka (UE), dated December 17, 1919

    Louis Koch has given consent; Schenker asks Hertzka to pick up the photographs while in Frankfurt; they need to discuss how Schenker allocates his time for the Kleine Bibliothek and other tasks.

  • OJ 10/3, [7] Handwritten letter from Otto Erich Deutsch Deutsch to Schenker, dated January 16, 1920

    Deutsch will write to the Beethoven House in Bonn to seek permission to reproduce the manuscript of the "Moonlight" Sonata. He suggests using the first edition as the source for the missing opening and closing bars, and asks Schenker to refrain from polemics in his commentary. Copies of the manuscripts of Beethoven's piano sonatas Opp. 28, 109, 110 and 111 should not be difficult to obtain, and he has made inquiries regarding the manuscripts of Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op. 106 and Mozart's A minor Rondo K. 511.

  • OJ 89/1, [4] Handwritten letter from Schenker to van Hoboken, dated September 6, 1927

    Schenker comments on Hoboken's Appeal [for the Photogrammarchiv], sets out what is necessary for correctly reading an autograph manuscript and understanding its relationship to the first edition, and rails against the tendency of performers, including Furtwängler, to think such matters trivial.

  • OJ 5/7a, [21] (formerly vC 21) Handwritten letter from Schenker to Cube, dated November 20, 1928

    Sends best wishes for Cologne lecture-series; is planning to issue a folder of Urlinien for use by teachers, and may deposit his handwritten Urlinien in the Photogrammarchiv, which will be officially opened on November [25]. The "counter-examples" should be taken slowly.

  • OJ 10/3, [96] Typewritten letter from Deutsch to Schenker, dated December 11, 1928

    Deutsch outlines plans for the publication of catalogues of music manuscripts worldwide and, in particular, new thematic catalogues of the music of Schubert, Mozart and Beethoven. With the intervention of Leopold Richtera, he has been assured of a good working relationship with the director of music at Radio Wien (RAVAG).

  • OJ 10/3, [104] Typewritten letter from Deutsch to Schenker, dated July 28, 1929

    In a long letter, Deutsch thanks Schenker for encouraging him to apply for the post of Head Archivist at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde following the death of the previous postholder, Eusebius Mandyczewski, on July 13. He comments on the present state of play at the Archive, above all on its insecure position. — He also expresses his regret that Austrian Radio is no longer interested in his “Chamber Ensemble” broadcasts with professors from the Vienna Academy, and that some of the players are no longer enthusiastic about them; he hopes to start a new initiative of that sort in the autumn. — He is in good standing with Hoboken, but the work on his private library is not bringing him rewards. — He enjoyed his recent trip to Italy, and thinks that he might have become an art historian had he gotten to know the country earlier.

  • OJ 11/54, [41]-[42] Handwritten letter, with envelope, from Hoboken to Schenker, dated January 1, 1935

    Hoboken wishes Schenker good health, and strength to complete Der freie Satz. — He discusses the furniture in the new premises of the Photogram Archive, and gives his travel plans for January.

Diaries