Handwritten letter from Rosenthal to Schenker, December 31, 1901 Verehrter Freund!1 Ich habe Sie keinen Augenblick lang mißverstanden,2 denn ich weiß sehr wol, was Gewöhnung u. Voreingenommenheit beim Musikmachen bedeuten.3 Der Stärkste ist da öfter nicht stark genug zum Widerstande. Als Künstler suchen wir beide leidenschaftlich das Wahre u. Schöne u. können nicht auf Personen achten. Ein Widerspruch von Ihnen wird mich vielleicht betrüben, aber stets anregen und fruchtbar machen. Zudem differiren wir zumeist nur in Beziehung auf {2} kleinere Détails, die ja nun freilich oft wichtig genug sind. Hinsichtlich der Phrasirungsbögen bei Chopin habe ich manches auf dem Herzen u. sei eine Discussion hierüber für die Zeit meiner Rückkunft aus Paris vorgeschlagen.4 Jedenfalls sage ich Ihnen ungerne Adieu u. viel lieber auf Wiedersehn. Herzlich ergeben, Wien, 31. Dec. 1901 © Under inquiry. |
Handwritten letter from Rosenthal to Schenker, December 31, 1901 Esteemed Friend,1 Not for a moment have I misunderstood you,2 for I know full well what habit and prejudice mean where music-making is concerned.3 Even the strongest person is more often not strong enough to withstand them. As artists, we both passionately seek that which is true and beautiful, and cannot pay heed to people. A confrontation from you may perhaps distress me but will invariably stimulate me creatively. Moreover, for the most part we differ only in {2} matters of detail--albeit those are admittedly often important enough. I have many thoughts regarding phrasing slurs in Chopin and suggest we discuss this topic when I get back from Paris.4 At any rate, I prefer not to say "Adieu" but rather "until we meet again." Cordially, Vienna, December 31, 1901 © Translation Ian Bent, 2007. |
COMMENTARY: FOOTNOTES: 1 Already transcribed in Federhofer, Heinrich Schenker nach Tagebüchern und Briefen ... (Hildesheim: Georg Olms, 1985), p. 195. 2 The letter to which this replies is not known to survive. 3 Schenker's estimation of Rosenthal was far from one-dimensional. At times, he had strong reservations about Rosenthal's playing that, according to him, was driven by the search for effects (diary, January 6, 1909: "M. Rosenthal uses two pianos in one evening--what more could the layman wish for?" (verbraucht 2 Klaviere an einem Abend, - was will der Laie mehr?), cf. Federhofer, Heinrich Schenker nach Tagebüchern und Briefen ... (Hildesheim: Georg Olms, 1985), p. 195; further critical remarks on December 17, 1913, November 5, 1928; somewhat positive on January 4, 1932, altogether positive on January 22, 1932, cf. Federhofer (1985), p. 196). 4 Rosenthal had studied with Chopin's pupil Karol Mikuli (as had Schenker). Schenker wrote about slurs in Chopin autographs in Das Meisterwerk in der Musik, vol. I (1925), pp. 154-56 (Eng. trans., vol. I, pp. 86-8). SUMMARY: © Commentary, Footnotes, Summary Christoph Hust & Ian Bent 2007
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