Hugo Wolf: Briefe an Melanie Köchert by Franz GrasbergerReview by: Edward F. KravittNotes, Second Series, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Mar., 1968), pp. 492-493Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/893930 .

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repertory and of the sources in which it survives. At this point in our developing knowledge of the Italian cantata, Mrs. Fruchtman's catalogue is the best thing of its kind, and makes an important contribu-

repertory and of the sources in which it survives. At this point in our developing knowledge of the Italian cantata, Mrs. Fruchtman's catalogue is the best thing of its kind, and makes an important contribu-

tion. This little volume will find its place on the reference shelves of all scholars working with the Italian cantata.

OWEN JANDER Wellesley College

tion. This little volume will find its place on the reference shelves of all scholars working with the Italian cantata.

OWEN JANDER Wellesley College

Hugo Wolf: Briefe an Melanie Kochert. Edited by Franz Grasberger. Tutzing: Hans Schneider, 1964. [240 p.; DM 42.-] Hugo Wolf: Briefe an Melanie Kochert. Edited by Franz Grasberger. Tutzing: Hans Schneider, 1964. [240 p.; DM 42.-]

The publication of this collection of letters marks the first step towards the dis- closure of new information of vital im- portance about Wolf's life. One would certainly not expect that anything of major significance escaped Frank Walker in his superb biography of the composer. Walker, who went far beyond Ernst Dec- sey's excellent ground-breaking work (4 vols., 1903-16), collected a wealth of fresh material, all of which is documented with the greatest of accuracy.

The new information is directly connect- ed with a fact from Wolf's life that stands out strikingly in all biographies: the absence of any meaningful, long-lived rela- tionship with a member of the opposite sex. This fact caused arm-chair psycho- analysts to rush in with innumerable theories. These, in the main, have boiled down to one general diagnosis: homo- sexuality, either overt and hidden or latent.

In fierce defense, admirers of Wolf, un- tutored in the subtleties of psychoanalysis, have attempted to silence such speculation with their own argument: Wolf subli- mated himself and his whole being into his art with such intensity that he found no need for enduring relationships with women. Indeed, such a supposition is sup- ported by the fact that, in another area of his life, Wolf was quite content to experi- ence dire poverty as long as he was free to compose.

The evidence for the psychoanalysts' hypothesis is readily apparent. Wolf's first love, which he experienced in his late teens, came to a particularly painful con- clusion for the composer. The blow he suffered then and the fact that all his subsequent affairs were not only few and short in duration but also always purpose- ly snapped off in the bud, indicates his fear of ever again becoming involved with a member of the opposite sex. His love, as a man of thirty-four, for the singer Frieda

The publication of this collection of letters marks the first step towards the dis- closure of new information of vital im- portance about Wolf's life. One would certainly not expect that anything of major significance escaped Frank Walker in his superb biography of the composer. Walker, who went far beyond Ernst Dec- sey's excellent ground-breaking work (4 vols., 1903-16), collected a wealth of fresh material, all of which is documented with the greatest of accuracy.

The new information is directly connect- ed with a fact from Wolf's life that stands out strikingly in all biographies: the absence of any meaningful, long-lived rela- tionship with a member of the opposite sex. This fact caused arm-chair psycho- analysts to rush in with innumerable theories. These, in the main, have boiled down to one general diagnosis: homo- sexuality, either overt and hidden or latent.

In fierce defense, admirers of Wolf, un- tutored in the subtleties of psychoanalysis, have attempted to silence such speculation with their own argument: Wolf subli- mated himself and his whole being into his art with such intensity that he found no need for enduring relationships with women. Indeed, such a supposition is sup- ported by the fact that, in another area of his life, Wolf was quite content to experi- ence dire poverty as long as he was free to compose.

The evidence for the psychoanalysts' hypothesis is readily apparent. Wolf's first love, which he experienced in his late teens, came to a particularly painful con- clusion for the composer. The blow he suffered then and the fact that all his subsequent affairs were not only few and short in duration but also always purpose- ly snapped off in the bud, indicates his fear of ever again becoming involved with a member of the opposite sex. His love, as a man of thirty-four, for the singer Frieda

Zerny, affords a splendid example. Wolf wrote in a letter (Feb. 1894): "I shall be foolish to fall head over heels in love with her" (p. 337, Walker). The couple made plans to run off to the United States because, curiously enough, Wolf felt they could not live together in Vienna. Then, inexplicably but conclusively, Wolf sud- denly terminated this relationship. The following April he explained, in a letter to Melanie K6chert, the reason for his change of heart: "She is an egoist and love is the last thing she can do" (p. 343). The reason notwithstanding, neither this relationship nor any other, apparently, ever developed into a union with any degree of permanency.

The one possible exception was Wolf's friendship with Melanie Kochert. Melanie, as Walker commented (p. 168), stood "be- side Wolf for twenty years, to encourage and console him in his struggle for self- expression and recognition, to rejoice with him in his creative ecstacies, and then to watch him, for five years, die by inches in a mental home." Despite the intimacy these lines suggest, one concludes from the biography that Melanie remained to Wolf, during their entire relationship, a devoted friend, in the deepest sense of the words, but nothing more. Melanie, after all, was a mother of three and married to the wealthy goldsmith and court jeweler Heinrich K6chert, a man who later aided the composer immeasurably.

In Wolf's remarkable series of letters recently published, the composer's rela- tionship to Frau K6chert is, for the first time, open for all to study. One must com- mend Franz Grasberger, the editor, for his careful work in preparing and annotating these letters.

The letters reveal that Melanie Kochert played the key role in Wolf's life. The influence that she exerted on him was profound. He often turned to her for ad- vice, even on matters concerning the com-

Zerny, affords a splendid example. Wolf wrote in a letter (Feb. 1894): "I shall be foolish to fall head over heels in love with her" (p. 337, Walker). The couple made plans to run off to the United States because, curiously enough, Wolf felt they could not live together in Vienna. Then, inexplicably but conclusively, Wolf sud- denly terminated this relationship. The following April he explained, in a letter to Melanie K6chert, the reason for his change of heart: "She is an egoist and love is the last thing she can do" (p. 343). The reason notwithstanding, neither this relationship nor any other, apparently, ever developed into a union with any degree of permanency.

The one possible exception was Wolf's friendship with Melanie Kochert. Melanie, as Walker commented (p. 168), stood "be- side Wolf for twenty years, to encourage and console him in his struggle for self- expression and recognition, to rejoice with him in his creative ecstacies, and then to watch him, for five years, die by inches in a mental home." Despite the intimacy these lines suggest, one concludes from the biography that Melanie remained to Wolf, during their entire relationship, a devoted friend, in the deepest sense of the words, but nothing more. Melanie, after all, was a mother of three and married to the wealthy goldsmith and court jeweler Heinrich K6chert, a man who later aided the composer immeasurably.

In Wolf's remarkable series of letters recently published, the composer's rela- tionship to Frau K6chert is, for the first time, open for all to study. One must com- mend Franz Grasberger, the editor, for his careful work in preparing and annotating these letters.

The letters reveal that Melanie Kochert played the key role in Wolf's life. The influence that she exerted on him was profound. He often turned to her for ad- vice, even on matters concerning the com-

492 492

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position of his music, and she appears always to have supplied him with the answers he needed. Wolf fully recognized her ability to understand him, to console and comfort him, and even to nourish his musical-poetic gifts. In deep gratitude, he presented her with the manuscripts of his Lieder.

In addition to such biographical detail, these letters paint sharply Wolf's musical personality-his particular concept of the Lied, the intensity under which he lived while creating his masterpieces, the sur- prisingly strong influence that weather conditions had upon the flow of his muse, his taste in performers, conductors, and in other contemporary composers. Such im- portant matters are recorded by Wolf in a literary style that is imaginative, even

lyrical, and always compelling and fasci- nating to read.

While these are not love letters, one suspects that a closer relationship existed between the two correspondents than is implied by the formal "Sie" in which all the letters are written. One suspects that a torrent of love was hidden from our view because it occasionally bubbles openly in a letter or two. Moreover, the fact that Melanie requested Wolf to follow a specific form in writing to her, that she cut out a page of one letter, suppressed others

entirely, and thought it necessary to de-

stroy Wolf's diary after his death supports our suspicion.

Fortunately, we need not long engage

position of his music, and she appears always to have supplied him with the answers he needed. Wolf fully recognized her ability to understand him, to console and comfort him, and even to nourish his musical-poetic gifts. In deep gratitude, he presented her with the manuscripts of his Lieder.

In addition to such biographical detail, these letters paint sharply Wolf's musical personality-his particular concept of the Lied, the intensity under which he lived while creating his masterpieces, the sur- prisingly strong influence that weather conditions had upon the flow of his muse, his taste in performers, conductors, and in other contemporary composers. Such im- portant matters are recorded by Wolf in a literary style that is imaginative, even

lyrical, and always compelling and fasci- nating to read.

While these are not love letters, one suspects that a closer relationship existed between the two correspondents than is implied by the formal "Sie" in which all the letters are written. One suspects that a torrent of love was hidden from our view because it occasionally bubbles openly in a letter or two. Moreover, the fact that Melanie requested Wolf to follow a specific form in writing to her, that she cut out a page of one letter, suppressed others

entirely, and thought it necessary to de-

stroy Wolf's diary after his death supports our suspicion.

Fortunately, we need not long engage

in this kind of speculation. In 1968 Alfred A. Knopf plans to publish Walker's un- expurgated biography of Wolf. Indeed, Walker's familiar study of 1952 was an expurgated edition. Owing to the wishes of certain of Kochert's descendants, Walker was requested to purge his book of all references that touched upon intimacy be- tween Wolf and Frau Kochert. With the ban of the Kocherts now lifted, all the factors of the Wolf-Kochert relationship can be brought to light.

Walker's unexpurgated manuscript dis- closes the ingenious methods that Wolf and Frau K6chert devised so as to meet and to consummate their Tristanesque love. And it clarifies other puzzling cir- cumstances surrounding Wolf's biography, the affair with Frieda Zerny, for instance- why Wolf thought it necessary to leave Vienna to live with her and why, when Frau K6chert discovered its existence, the affair collapsed so suddenly. Moreover, complete knowledge of Wolf's personal life brings into relief the embarrassing pit- falls that might occur when one under- takes psychoanalysis in the absence of the patient.

Indeed, this collection of letters, along with the forthcoming biography, mark the final two steps towards disclosing informa- tion about Wolf's life that is of the utmost importance.

EDWARD F. KRAVITT Hunter College of the City

University of New York

in this kind of speculation. In 1968 Alfred A. Knopf plans to publish Walker's un- expurgated biography of Wolf. Indeed, Walker's familiar study of 1952 was an expurgated edition. Owing to the wishes of certain of Kochert's descendants, Walker was requested to purge his book of all references that touched upon intimacy be- tween Wolf and Frau Kochert. With the ban of the Kocherts now lifted, all the factors of the Wolf-Kochert relationship can be brought to light.

Walker's unexpurgated manuscript dis- closes the ingenious methods that Wolf and Frau K6chert devised so as to meet and to consummate their Tristanesque love. And it clarifies other puzzling cir- cumstances surrounding Wolf's biography, the affair with Frieda Zerny, for instance- why Wolf thought it necessary to leave Vienna to live with her and why, when Frau K6chert discovered its existence, the affair collapsed so suddenly. Moreover, complete knowledge of Wolf's personal life brings into relief the embarrassing pit- falls that might occur when one under- takes psychoanalysis in the absence of the patient.

Indeed, this collection of letters, along with the forthcoming biography, mark the final two steps towards disclosing informa- tion about Wolf's life that is of the utmost importance.

EDWARD F. KRAVITT Hunter College of the City

University of New York

Harmony in Modern Counterpoint. By Robert E. Middleton. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1967. [156 p.; $6.50] Harmony in Modern Counterpoint. By Robert E. Middleton. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1967. [156 p.; $6.50]

Many texts aimed at the undergraduate composition student have appeared in recent years. Few match Robert Middle- ton's work in the ambitiousness of its in- tent, as may be seen from these passages from his Preface:

Modern contrapuntal training.. .has been problematical, since there seemed to be no workable harmonic standard...

The book attempts to draw some con- clusions about a common harmonic practice during the first half of this century-a period concerned with the expansion of the resources of tonality, or, conversely, with the avoidance of tonal implications... The emphasis in this book... is on tonality, and this

Many texts aimed at the undergraduate composition student have appeared in recent years. Few match Robert Middle- ton's work in the ambitiousness of its in- tent, as may be seen from these passages from his Preface:

Modern contrapuntal training.. .has been problematical, since there seemed to be no workable harmonic standard...

The book attempts to draw some con- clusions about a common harmonic practice during the first half of this century-a period concerned with the expansion of the resources of tonality, or, conversely, with the avoidance of tonal implications... The emphasis in this book... is on tonality, and this

emphasis seems justifiable even at this late date, for that which is tonal must be defined before it can be avoided.

Six chapters on melody precede the first actual discussion of harmony in Chapter VII ("Two-Part Harmonic Intervals"). In the first chapter the author explores and illustrates the general characteristics of twentieth-century melody. Chapters II-V deal with scale formations in which the number of intervals available to the stu- dent is increased by a systematic additive process. Chapter VI explains and illus- trates the use of tones which lie outside the limits of these scales. Such foreign tones indicate a shift to another tonal

emphasis seems justifiable even at this late date, for that which is tonal must be defined before it can be avoided.

Six chapters on melody precede the first actual discussion of harmony in Chapter VII ("Two-Part Harmonic Intervals"). In the first chapter the author explores and illustrates the general characteristics of twentieth-century melody. Chapters II-V deal with scale formations in which the number of intervals available to the stu- dent is increased by a systematic additive process. Chapter VI explains and illus- trates the use of tones which lie outside the limits of these scales. Such foreign tones indicate a shift to another tonal

493 493

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