Schoenberg Voice Recording:
Letter, 1949 May 13, Los Angeles, to Amadeo de Filippi, New York

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• Recording date: 1949 May 13
• Duration: 1:33
• Description: Letter in English. On Schoenberg's Drei Satiren, op. 28.
• ASI call nos.: 101/R7
• Publications:
  • Schoenberg, Arnold. Briefe, selected & edited by Erwin Stein, pp. 285-286 (#229). Mainz: B. Schott's Söhne, 1958. -- In German.
  • Rufer, Josef. Das Werk Arnold Schönbergs, p. 31. Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1959. -- Partial translation in German.
  • Rufer, Josef. [Das Werk Arnold Schönbergs. English]. The Works of Arnold Schoenberg: A Catalogue of His Compositions, Writings and Paintings, p. 50. Translated from the German by Dika Newlin. London: Faber and Faber, 1962. -- Partial transcription.
  • Schoenberg, Arnold. [Briefe. English]. Letters, selected & edited by Erwin Stein, translated from the German by Eithne Wilkins & Ernst Kaiser, pp. 271-272 (#239). New York: St. Martin's Press, 1964. -- In English.
  • Simpson, Dean Wesley. Analysis and Performance of the A Capella Choral Music for Mixed Voices of Arnold Schoenberg, p. 60. Thesis (D.Ed.): Columbia University, Teachers College, 1968. -- Partial transcription in English.
  • Reich, Willi. Arnold Schönberg, oder, der konservative Revolutionär, p. 199-200. Vienna: Fritz Molden, 1968. -- Partial translation in German.
  • Reich, Willi. [Arnold Schönberg, oder, der konservative Revolutionär. English]. Schoenberg: A Critical Biography, p. 153. Translated from the German by Leo Black. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1971. -- Partial transcription in English.
  • Schoenberg, Arnold. [Briefe. Hungarian]. Levelei, selected & edited by Erwin Stein, translated from the German & English by Tibor Tallián, pp. 362-363 (#229). Budapest: Zenemukiado, 1974. -- In Hungarian.
  • Schoenberg, Arnold. [Briefe. French]. Correspondance, 1910-1951, selected & edited by Erwin Stein, translated from the German & English by Dennis Collins, pp. 279-280 (#239). Paris: Jean-Claude Lattès, 1983. -- In French.
  • Schoenberg, Arnold. "Letter to Amadeo de Filippi." In: Arnold Schönberg Self-portrait: A Collection of Articles, Program Notes, and Letters by the Composer About His Own Works, edited by Nuria Schoenberg-Nono, p. 109. Pacific Palisades, CA: Belmont Music Publishers, 1988. -- Partial transcription in English.
  • Nono, Nuria Schoenberg. Arnold Schönberg, 1874-1951: Lebensgeschichte in Begegnungen, p. 248. Klagenfurt, Austria: Ritter Klagenfurt, 1992. -- Partial translation in German.

Transcription:

[The italicized portion is missing from the recording, ed.]

Arnold Schoenberg
116 N. Rockingham Avenue
Los Angeles, California
May 13, 1949

To Mr. Amadeo de Filippi
4405 Waldo Avenue
New York 63, NY

Dear Mr. de Filippi:

It's very interesting to me that you liked this Sat... these Three Satires and especially that you find out that the technique is similar to the Third String Quartet and the Wind Quintet. It is true--they must have been written at the same... at about the same time. I think it was '26. I wrote them when I was very much angered by attacks of my... of some of my younger contemporaries at this time and I wanted to give them a little warning that it is not good to attack me. (...had to help them...)

The title "Manysided," means only that it can be used both from... by turning around the paper and from reading it from the end to the beginning from the same music (if you call it music) would come out. But this piece was never intended by myself to be sung or performed. It is merely on paper. And... but if one would try to perform it, I think about sixty [to] the quarter note would be a good tempo.

The Cantata is the piece which could and should be performed and I am ready to do as much as I can, if you send me your copy with your remarks. It will interest me very much.

The Canon for Bernard Shaw was made on the occasion of his 70th birthday where his German admirers, amonst whom I counted myself sent him a birthday present with such contributions. Bernard Shaw was much too original to answer to such a present.

I not only forgive you for asking me these questions, but I am glad to see people being interested in so intricate details of my works and I am always ready, as much as my time allows, to answer such questions.

I am with cordial greetings,
Sincerely yours,
Arnold Schoenberg