Anna Thorsch (Frau) (née Behrend)
born Hannover, September 7, 1844; died Vienna, February 27, 1923
Documents associated with this person:
"Mrs. Thorsch" is referred to in Schenker's diary, and the likelihood is that this was Anna Thorsch, wife of the banker and merchant David Eduard Thorsch. See Thorsch (family).
Schenker had visited the Thorschs' house several times in late 1906 and early 1907 to make chamber music and to try to persuade Mrs. Thorsch to provide money from her Foundation to support his close friend Moriz Violin. He was unsuccessful, and on April 17, 1907 wrote angrily in his diary: The donation by Mrs. Thorsch (the second one) of 300,000 florins arouses in me indirectly some agitation: How unjust is such humanity directly against poor Floriz! What folly in the mentality of the woman to care so splendidly for 70-year-old men and women within her own circle, and by comparison to cut adrift financially a still very young artist who is suffering so severely in body and talent!" (OJ 1/5, p. 38).
He presumably vented his anger on Mrs. Thorsch herself, because he had an unexpected visited from her son-in-law, Baron Erwin von Ferstel, on May 17, during which the two men had a heated argument about the nature of patronage.
Contributor
- Ian Bent