Einstein on Music: a Unique Source for Musical Life in the Twentieth Century

Einstein on Music: A Unique Source for Musical Life in the Twentieth Century

Catherine Dower

T HE REVIEWS written by Alfred Einstein (1880- bcrt Einstein. The Univcrsity of Georgia owns cor 1952) record the musical lifc of early twentieth respondence in the Guido Adler Papers and Olin century Germany' and form a major portion of the Downcs Papers. At Columbia University there are Alfred Einstein Collection in the music library of 1he letters between W. W. Norton and Einstein. At University of California at Berkeley. The Einstein Stamford, Connecticut, the Friderike Zweig Ar family has since 1952 contributcd Einstein materials chives own corrcspondence between Einstein and to many other libraries. To Smith College, whcrc he both Friderike and Stephan Zwcig. íhcrc are also hcld the William Allan Ncilson Rc~carch Professor books, letters, or other material~ at Brandeis Univer ship (1939- 1950), and founded the Smith College sity, where he was a member of the Advisory Com Archives, were givcn 120 manuscript sources of mittee; at the New York Public Library; Harvard Italian vocal and instrumental music of the sixteenth University; UCLA; and in the Metropolitan Opera to eighteenth centuries (which he had copied in Archives.' The AcaJemy of the Arts (Akademie der ltalian libraries for his book on the ltalian MacJri Künstc) in Bcrlin startcd an Ein~tcin Collection in gal). This collcction of source material for the study 1966. of ltalian Renaissance music still remains one of the The largest collcction, however, remains that at world's largest and most importan!. Berkeley. Through the year~. the UCB library has The Library of Congrcss obtained his copy of acquircd materials of Manfrcd Bukofzer, Ernest Rossini's Die Seemiinner, a duet for tenor and bass Bloch, and othcrs, but, according to now dcceased with orchestral accompaniment, arranged in 1838 by UCB music lihrarian Vincent Duckles, Einstein's Richard Wagner but not published, as well as Ein library "forms the nucleus of the musicology collec stein's collection of 441 libretti of the nineteenth and tion at Berkeley."' In 1954 when it was acquired twentieth centuries. (LC also has most of his exten from Einstcin's widow, Ducklcs described itas not sive correspondcncc with Nicolas Slonimsky.) only an importan! collection of papers by one of the Princeton University, which in 1949 published world's most famous music scholars, but also "the Einstein's magnum opus, The Jtalian Madrigal (and single most important purchase in the history of the gavc him an honorary Doctor of Lctters degree), has copies of the correspondence betwecn Alfred and Al- 'See John Spalck, 0111de to the Archiva/ Materia/s of the Oerman-speaking Em1gra/1011 to the Untted States A/ter 1933 (Charlottesville, Va.: University of Virginia Press, 1978). My íonhcoming book, E::mstem on Muste, will include a ' Víncent Duckles. "Recent Gifts to the Mus1c library." C.U. targe number of thesc (in translation). NEWS, 25/22 (June ti, 1970), S.

Berkeley Music Library. "' Numbcring more than on laboriou ~ ly taken no1cs, his Geschichte der Mu

3,000 itcms at that time, it was a scholar's library, sik [Short History of Music] was writtcn during a rcílccting Einstcin's spccial intcrcst in Mo¿art re mere six wecks spent in a military hospi1al without search, music lexicography, music of lhc Romantic access to books. era, and lhc ltalian madrigal-in ali of which arcas His great moments of recognition werc legion: he was an acknowledged world-class authority. Al among 1hem Ricmann's designating him in his will rcady in 1938 whcn Percy Scholcs wrote 10 1hc Bril as lhe man to edit his dictionary; Guido Adler's ish Consulatc in Zurich in support of Einslein's sclccting him to write a chapter in his Handbuch der application for a visa to Britain, he rated Einstein as Musikwissenschaft; and his being sclccted as editor " one of the most learncd writers on subjects of mu of the Zeitschrift fiir Musikwissenschaft. • sical rescarch at prcscnt living."' Such appointments did not free him from the pet In addition to thc Einstein Mozart Collection at tiness of those who dcmanded space in Riemann or Berkeley ( 15 archive boxes) of which a 28-pagc in who clamorcd for good revicws in lhe ncwspapers ventory is availablc (John Emerson, Materíals for for which he wrote. A lypical complaincr was Franz Mozart Research: An lnventory o/ the Mozart Schreker. When sending Einstein his biographical Nach/ass of Aljred Einstein), the UCB Einstein col data for the "next" edition of Riemann, he pro lcction has since thc original gift bccn augmcntcd tcsted that in comparison with entrics on others who with archiva! matcrials (prcserved on acid-frec were includcd, "1 find mine was not just. ... Hein paper) 1hat were the gifl of Einstein's daughter, Eva. rich Schcnkcr wrote that he would like to have a new The collcction now includes his early study, Zur article in Riemann, updating the information already deutschen literatur für Viola da Gamba ( 1905), included. 10 which helped cstablish him as an importan! rcsearch scholar•; his Mozart Nachlass, asscmbled in con Einstein was born at Munich December 30, 1880. nection with his monumental work: the revision of From carliest youth, his po1ential was recognized by K&hel's Chronologisch-thematisches Verzeichnis his teachers. Among them, violinist Paul Strohbach sdmtlicher Tonwerke Wolfgang Amadé Mozarts not only took him to concerts, but at their close in- (1947); and his interleaved copy of Emil Vogel's Bib 1roduced him to both performers and conductors. 11 /iothek der gedruckten weltlichen Vocalmusik With Strohbach's encouragement, he started study ltaliens (1500-1700)- acquired by Einstein in 1903 ing and collecting musical seores, and also in his own with a view to preparing a new edition. Vogel's two right developed considerable skill as a violinist. '1 volumes are full of his corrections, annotations, and Eveo after the passage of years, Strohbach nevcr additions. Ali of these wcre in due time to be incor wearied of discussing at great length the programs porated into thc new edition prepared by Claudio that they heard." Sartori. Further cnriching the UCB holdings are the Shortly after obtaining a Ph.D. from the Univer seores of letters from such renowned figures as sity of Munich in 1903, he felt thal his teacher, Casella, Lowinsky, Hoboken, Slonimsky, Szell, Ses Adolph Sandberger, prevented him from procuring sions, Dent, Klempcrcr, Stiedry, Schering, and a professorship in a German university. " To prove Adler. how wrong was Sandberger's judgment, he deter Fortunately, the formidable scholarly apparatus mined to make of himself a peerless musicologist, at his command did not preven! Einstein's prose and to that end he labored in libraries for countless from being touched with humor "that only the one hours copying and transcribing music of various ness of scholarship and human warmth can im part. "'To show thal his knowledge did not depend 'Edward Lowinsky lettcr to Eva Einstein, January 15, 1980. • Born at Monaco. March 23, 1878, Franz Schreker died at Berlin March 2t. 1934. Alrcady in 1928. he was rated in the ' Ducklcs, " Thc University o f California, Berkele), Mu sic third cdition o f Grove's Dictionary (1928), 1v, 577, as " the mo<>t Library." No1es. xxxv1/ I (Septembcr. 1979), 12. conspicuous melodramatic figure since Wagner." ' Lencr datcd at Chamby sur Mo ntreux, Switzcrland. Novem •• June 28, 1928. ber IS, 1938. " Alfred Einstein, "Straight and Curved Paths," Chaptcr l. 'Otto Kinkeldey, "To Alfrcd Einstein, 30 Deccmber 1950," typescript, p. 6. Notes, vm/J (December, 1950), 34. '' Eva Einstein, Autobiography, typescript, p. 7. 'Curt Sachs. " Alfred Einstein. 1880-1952," Journol of the " Alfred Einstein, " Straight and Curved Paths," p. 6. Ammcon Musicologicol Society, vil (Spring, 1952), 3. " Ed"'ard Lowinsky letter to Eva Einstein, January IS. 1980. Einstein on Music: A Unique Source for Musical Lije in the Twentieth Century 119

period~." His resultant discovcrie~ \\Cre of far Couplcd '~ith his crudition, he was always agra rcaching importancc. Evcn so, thcy t. Sunday aftcrnoom in Munich, the Ein 1he immcdiate offer of a chair. His first appointmcnt ~lci n s hcld open-house for musicians, paintcrs, and (in the summer of 1929) was instead that of a lecturer writers. They wcre scrvcd tea or coffcc and cake, and at the German Institutc of Music for Foreigner~. in somctimes cJiscussion5 !asted until midnight." Bu! in Berlin." 1927 the time carne for leaving Munich. Afler being In 1915 Sandberger dicl al last rcward his ¿cal by intervicwcd by !he owner and editor of the Berliner rccommcnding him for thc cditorship of the Zeit Tageblall, Eimtcin bccame its music critic, moving schrift fiir Musikwissenschoft ( 191 8-1933). Concur to Berlín. Anti-semiti'>m wa5, however, increasing in rently, Einstein wrote reviews far the Mtinclmer Post Gcrmany, and one evening Ei nstein was refuscd (1917- 1927). Later he workcd for the Berliner lodging after having revicwcd a concert; he had to Togeb/011 (1927-1933), and during the 1920's he was cross the CLcch border to spcnd the night." Even also Gcrman music corresponden! for 1hc New York Jewish conductor., and performers did not take Times anda contributor to the London Doily Tele kincJly to him after unfavorablc press noticcs. Bruno groph, The Observer, and the Christian Science Walter, for instance, tried to get him removed as the Monitor. Meanwhilc, however, he diJ not a ll o'~ hb music critic of the Berliner Tageb/011, and went rn raid newspaper journalism to diminish thc quality far as to ~cnd the editor a lettcr dcmanding that Ein of his scrvices to 1hc Zeitschriji. Documenting his stein be discharged. '' Einstein o ffered to cJiscuss thc editorial prowess, Notes in 1952 declared that Ein matter in thc newspapcr, but Walter declinecJ. Whcn stein "had contributed so extensively from his Polixenc Mathey, thc pianist, rcceived an unfavor tremendous storc of knowlcdgc 1hat he was intluen ablc review, shc responded quite differently. She tial in setting its tone, and part of any continucd suc wrote Einstein: "You were right, it was terrible and cess the magazine [Zeitschrift) has had should be whcn 1 improved in the second half of the concert, 1 crcdited to him."" you had a lready fled." • Likc Mathcy, Leo Blcch In his newspaper reviews, "his refined musical was also comprehcnding. When Einstein wrote that taste coupled \\ith a strong feeling for responsibil he was too cxplosive, Blech rcplied thal he would ity madc him a music critic of the very highcst mend his ways." But when Einstein while still in rank ... acknowledged equally by professionals Munich rcviewed Furtwiingler unfavorably, Furt and thc general public."" By \\ay o f conirast with wiingler wrotc Einstein that he did not wish to con scholars interested solely in thc rcmote past, he duct when he felt "hostility. ""Einstein responded befriended contemporary composcrs whom he with the suggcstion that he conduct a program for deerned worthy. He was opcn-minded to new music the working class. (Furtwiinglcr did return to con duct one in Munich.) and his discernment helped a great deal to make it imclligi ble to a larger public." He pcrsonificd not only thc finest In the spring of 1933, when he was assigned to musical and cultural scholarship but also a nobility of mind covcr the Bayreuth Festival, Einstein's family left for that is rarc among professional writers and scholars." Florence and he tried to get a substitute ; but Winifred, Wagner's daughter-in-law, spccified that Although hum ble enough to be awarc of his own lin he must not send a substitute. Permission for the guisiic limitations," he wro1e both Latin and Greek, tickets for him had been granted by Goebbels him ancl never shirked from other languagcs." self." Nonetheless, Einstein neither then nor later could reconcile himself to sceing his fellow country " Al fred Einstein in the London Daily Telegraph, April 29. men reduced to nothing more than puppcts in brown 1939. uniforms. 'º 'º"Germany," in 1929 booklet of the German ln\titute of Music for Foreigners in Berlín, 26-27. " !bid., 10. " "Notes for NOTES," Notes, rx/2 (March, 1952), 228. ''Richard Capcll in the Daily Tele11raph, February 21. 1953. "Erich Hertzmann, "Alfred Einstein and Curt Sach;," The "March 11 , 1929. Musu:al Quarter/y, xxv 11/3 (July, 1941 ), 270. "Decembcr S, 1929. .. /bid., 271. "May S, 1929 . " Lowimky lcttcr to Eva Ein>tcin, March 1, 1979. ''May 20, 1923. "Winton Dean, "Criticism," The New Grove Dictionary o/ "Eva Ein\tein, 33. Music und Mus1c1u11S, v (London: Macmillan. 1980), 48. ""A Store of Knowledge," Tune. SS (April 24, 19S0), "Eva Ein,tein, 7-8. 104-IOS. 180 INTER-AMERIC'AN MUSIC REVIEW

Johannes Wolf had carlier warned the Einstcins the countess visible to the audicnce, making Figaro's to gel thcir belongings togcther and escape from illusion a perfect one." He also had comments chat Gcrmany, and on Junc 25, 1933, Einstein rcccived could benefit che composer. He warned young Egon no1ifica1ion 1ha1 he was bcing fired from che Zei1- Wellesz after the premicre of Alkestis: "Trying 10 schrij1. In a leuer datcd October 28, 1933, Wolf elude emotion means also 10 elude music." After the begged Einstein: "Picase stay my fricnd and 1 will premiére of Die Bürgscha/1-an opera which Ein always be yours." Before having been fired from the ~tein proclaime

"Scraight and ( uncd Palh>." Chaptcr l, 1ypc,crip1 at 1 andau, Annclic\c. "l\lrldrcd Nonon" column. Dui/y News

Univcr,icy of California, Ucrlclc), Music Librar) . (Los Angel.-) (Decembcr 29. 1950). 27 . . Communication 111 che London Dui/_1· Tele11.ru¡1h, April 1 owinsky. Ld"arJ Leuer<> 10 Lva Ein•tern daced March 1, 29, 1939. 1979, and Januar) 15, 1980. 1.:imcein. Eva. A11tobwwuplty, t)pc"·ripl. UCU Mu"c Library_ "Note' for NOTES." Notes, rx/2 (March, 1952), 228. "Gcrmany," in 1929 boo~lcl of che Gcrman ln,1i1u1c of M1"ic Sach-. Cun. "Alfrcd Ein,ccin, 1880-1952," Jmirnal of tire for Forcigncrs in Bcrlin. Amem·a11 Musicological Sot'lety, v/ l (Spring, 1952). J_ HenLmann. Erich. "Alfrcd bll\lcm anJ (.un Sach,," The M11- Spale~. John. Cuide to the Archfral .\lluteria/\ of the German s1ca/ Q11arterl}'. xxvu/3 (July. 19~1), 263- 279. speakin¡: Em1¡:ratw11 to the Umted States After 1933 K in~elJc>, Ouo. "To Alfrcd Ein,cein, 30 Deccmhcr 1950." (Charlottcw1llc, Va.: Univc"il) of Virginia Pres>, 1978). Notes, v111/l (Deccmbcr, 1950). 33-39.