FEATURE

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOSEF KASPAR MERTZ: New Biographical Insights
By Andreas Stevens

Biographical information about the German Romantic-era With a skill that approaches the impossible he [achieves] an
guitarist Josef Kaspar Mertz (1806–1856) has depended outstanding clarity of plucking; in the most difficult passages
mainly on two texts until now. The first one, authored one can hear the upper voice, the middle voice and especially
in Russian by Nicolai Makaroff, became the best known the ground bass—qualities that not even the most famous
because it has been available in English since excerpts of it virtuosos of that instrument can achieve.3
were published in the Guitar Review in 1947.1
We have every right to wonder, then, which guitarists
By today’s standards, Makaroff’s recollections of the guitar´s Makaroff might have met before the encounter with Mertz
situation in the middle of the nineteenth century seem took place. To whom was Mertz compared? The route of
deeply subjective. Ever on the lookout for active exponents Makaroff’s journey in 1851 included the cities of Hamburg,
of the art of guitar playing, he met Mertz twice in Vienna Cologne, Mainz, Frankfurt, Kreuznach, and Schoenebach.4
and witnessed several private performances by Mertz. For In Mainz he met Kamberger, a guitarist “who, I had been
better or for worse, his less-than-enthusiastic assessment told, was famous along the shores of the Rhine. He was
of Mertz’s playing has been taken at face value for perhaps a young man of thirty…”5 Makaroff’s description makes
too long, especially since (until now) there have been no it probable that he was talking about Friedrich Karl Josef
contradictory opinions on the matter. Here is the faint Kamberger (1824–1892), who was listed in the address
praise that Makaroff initially penned: books of the city as a piano teacher.6

As a performer, Mertz was without doubt, the best of the Up to now only a single composition by Kamberger,
German guitarists I had heard. His playing was marked by Bouquet de Mélodies, Livre 1, has been discovered. It
power, energy, feeling, clarity and expression. However he was announced as published by Appiano (Mainz) in
had the defects of the German school—the buzzing of basses, the Musikalischer Monatsbericht (December 1852).7 His
the smothering of very rapid passages at times. With respect activities as a guitar performer are not known.8
to the embellishment and polishing of musical sentences and
periods, Mertz was not on a par with Zani de Ferranti or Two other names that can be found in Makaroff’s Memoirs
Schulz.2 on the occasion of another journey in 1856 are Jansen and
Fischer. The latter “was considered a great guitar maestro
As far as we know, Makaroff never listened to Mertz in a on the shores of the lower Rhine.”9 But Makaroff does not
live concert. Their encounters were purely private. Mertz seem to have provided even a single word of praise for this
may have sight-read for his Russian guest a few of his guitarist; not even his first name is known.
compositions, some of which were not part of his active
repertoire. Who knows? However, if one takes a look at a Neither of these guitarists seems to have made his mark
concert review of 1842 copied and preserved by one Eduard in guitar history as a performer or composer. Fischer
Fack, Mertz’s ability as a performer appears in a much more recommended to Makaroff the names of three guitar players
favorable light:
1 Nicolai Makaroff, “The Memoirs of Makaroff,” trans. V. Bobri and N. Ulreich, Oberstimme, die Mittelstimme u. vor allem den Grundbass, Vorzüge, die sich selten,
Guitar Review 3 and 5 (1947): 56–59 and 109–113. The author’s Russian name is also selbst bei berühmtesten Virtuosen auf diesen Instrumenten vereinigen.” Eduard
commonly transliterated as Makarow or Makarov. The relationship between Mertz Fack, “Materialien zur Geschichte der Guitarre und ihre Meister mit Abbildungen
and Makaroff was probably more complex than what the earliest biographies convey. von Eduard Fack Berlin 1884,” transcribed manuscript available as a download. The
See Matanya Ophee, “The Memoirs of Makaroff - A Second Look,” Soundboard 9, original concert review appeared in the Vossische Zeitung (July 1842). Consulted
no. 3 (1982): 226–233. See also the same author’s newly published translation: “The January 2016. http://www.lautenbau-leipzig.de/fack.html
Memoirs of Makarov,” in Essays in Guitar History (Columbus: Editions Orphée, 4 Der Gitarrefreund Heft 6 (Nov.-Dec., 1910): 45.
2016), pp. 115–164. Specific observations on Mertz occur on pp. 139–141. 5 “The Memoirs of Makaroff,” GR 2 (1947): 32.
2 “The Memoirs of Makaroff,” GR 3 (1947): 59. In the new Ophee translation 6 Email from the City Archive of Mainz, 6 June 2007.
(op. cit., 141) we read: “Particularly in the finish and roundness of musical phrases 7 Email from Axel Beer, 20 July 2015, and emails from Grégory Leclair, July 2015.
and periods and in the soothingness and softness and the singing of tone, he was far 8 Some manuscripts of Kamberger’s compositions can be found in the Gitarristische
below Zani de Ferranti and Schulz. And as a performer, he was incomparably below Sammlung Fritz Walter und Gabrielle Wiedemann, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek,
the latter. On the other hand, as a composer, he stood immensely higher than him, Munich (henceforth SammlungWW).
by his inspiration, by his originality, by his knowledge of music in general and by 9 “The Memoirs of Makaroff,” GR 5 (1948): 110.
understanding the properties of the guitar.”
3 “Mit einer Fertigkeit, die an das Unglaubliche grenzt, verbindet er eine ungemeine
Deutlichkeit des Anschlages und in den schwierigsten Passagen hört man die

guitarfoundation.org Soundboard Scholar No. 2 25

JOSEF KASPAR MERTZ: (cont.)

whom he considered of importance: Rilling in Fulda, Brand that I helped to make available to the Bayerische
in Würzburg, and Franz in Munich. Staatbibliothek.15 Her letters accompanied and lent
authority to the publication of her biography and the
About Rilling we have no information so far. Friedrich sale of some manuscripts to the association. What follows
Brand10 was active as the choirmaster of the Würzburg is a selection of pertinent recollections from her letters,
Cathedral and had a great reputation as a guitar virtuoso published here in English for the first time.
and composer. He also performed quite often as one of
a touring guitar duo with Adam Darr, an exceptional J. K. Mertz as a Performing Artist
performer whom Makaroff overlooked completely. Without any doubt Josephine was intimately familiar with
her husband’s musicianship. On the one hand she herself
Selected compositions of Josef Franz were published by
was a performing artist on the piano before she met him;
the Augsburg Free Society for the Promotion of Good Guitar
on the other hand she became his duo partner. As we will
Music (Freie Vereinigung zur Förderung guter Guitaremusik).11
see later, she also was the co-composer of the piano parts of
But to date no real research on the works of the
their guitar and piano duos.
aforementioned composers has been carried out.
But was she objective? Or impartial? We learn from her
For reasons that remain unclear, Makaroff did not
letter dated September 1902 that Josephine seems to have
actually meet the three recommended guitarists; he
fallen under the spell of her husband’s magical performances
did not follow the advice of Kamberger. Makaroff also
almost immediately. Even if her objectivity was somewhat
missed the opportunity to visit Eduard Bayer, regarded
impaired, she nevertheless wrote with disarming candor, as
in later publications as “the last virtuoso” of the guitar
this sentence reveals: “The solo piece Les Adieux was played
in Hamburg.12 So it appears that Makaroff, by choice or
by my late husband so marvelously and delighted me so
by oversight, simply did not meet most of the significant
much that as a consequence we entered into wedlock.”16
German guitarists of his era. As a result, his reports about
the few guitarists he did encounter in Germany seem less However emotionally colored her observations may
credible than we might wish. have been, they are nevertheless of special relevance. In
combination with other concert reviews, they paint a more
§
credible, more complete picture of Mertz’s instrumental
capabilities than we have yet encountered.
Without a doubt Josephine Mertz (1819–1903), who
It is unfortunate that the melody in harmonics that was a
had been touring Germany with her husband from 1842
highlight of Mertz’s performance of Les Adieux is neither
until his death in 1856, was an especially privileged
preserved nor even suggested in any known edition of
witness to Mertz’s guitar playing and composing. Her brief
the piece, including the available modern edition of
recollections of him represent the second source of first-
1985.17 Josephine refers several times to it. In another
hand information we have on J. K. Mertz.
letter she writes about the “Flageolet-Melodie” (melody
Surprisingly her memoir first appeared in print in English. in harmonics), and in yet another about the “Fantasy Les
Josephine sent it to J. M. Miller in the United States in Adieux with harmonics.”
1891. It was translated by the recipient and published in
Whenever performed, this moment musical made the
The Cadenza in 1895.13 Soon, in 1901–02, a comparable
greatest impression on the audience: “The melody in
German version would be printed.14
harmonics aroused the most tumultuous ovations because
It was over a century later, in 2011, that I discovered even in the great hall they were heard like bell tones in the
Josephine’s correspondence with the Internationalen most distant corners.”18
Gitarristiche Vereinigung (I.G.V.) among the materials

10 SammlungWW has 33 Brand manuscripts. 15 The SammlungWW.

11 Etuden 2, 5, 6, 7, Im Walde, Auf den Fluren, Marche sérieuse. There are 85 16 “Die Solopiece Les Adieux mit der Flageolettmelodie spielte mein seliger Gatte
manuscripts of Franz in the SammlungWW. so wunderbar, und entzückte mich dermaßen, daß in Folge dessen unsre Ehebund
12 See Fritz Buek, Die Gitarre und ihre Meister (Berlin, 1926), 42. entsprang.” Letter of September 1902.
13 Josephine Mertz, “Life of the Late J. K. Mertz,” trans. J. M. Miller, Cadenza 1, no. 17 Johann Kaspar Mertz, “Les Adieux,” in Guitar Works, Volume VI, Concert Works,
3 (Jan.-Feb. 1895): 4. Facsimile posted at www.guitarfoundation.org/page/SbS02. ed. by Simon Wynberg (Heidelberg: Chanterelle, 1985).
See also Masami Kimura, “Joseph K. Mertz: Drei Biographien seiner Witwe,” Gitarre 18 “Die Flagiolett-Melodie (sic) erregte in unseren Concerten immer stürmischen
& Laute 1 (1992): 42. Applaus, da sie selbst im großen Saal, bis in die entferntesten Ecken wie Glockentöne
14 “Johann Kaspar Mertz,” Mitteilungen des Internationalen Guitarristen-Verbandes gehört wurde.” Letter of September 1901.
(e.V.) 2, no. 12 (December 1901): 83–85; and 3, no. 1 (January 1902): 9–12.

26 Soundboard Scholar No. 2 guitarfoundation.org

Later Josephine commented on a second version of the acknowledged the Concert Duos as the most demanding
Finale of this composition: “when he played it in the pieces for guitar and piano, adding that they “challenge the
concert, he aroused such a sensation that the whole guitarist mostly and could be recommended as curiosities
audience stood up just to be able to watch his fingers. But to the Congress, because nobody except myself has been so
he played at such a breakneck speed that one could not bold as to write such an accompaniment to the guitar.”24
know if there were human fingers or billions of worms
rushing around on the strings.”19 Josephine also mentioned some compositions that have not
yet been found: “My husband has also effectively composed
About the sound quality of her husband she wrote, “but he quartets for two mandolins, guitar and piano, that we
(Dubetz) could not achieve such a beautiful sound as my performed three times a week at Count Ledochowksy’s
husband. In this respect he was incomparable, and even if home.”25 These works were in the private collection of
he almost pulled the strings away from the frets with the Countess Ledochowksa, a mandolin pupil of Mertz’s, but
greatest force, his tone always stayed wonderful; neither copies of the pieces mentioned have not been located. For
the orchestra nor the most powerful grand piano could that unique combination of instruments none of them
overpower him.”20 In light of this comment, we are entitled seems to have survived.
to wonder: On what occasion and when did Josephine have
the opportunity to hear her husband performing with an Among the many papers that Josephine kept, she discovered
orchestra? some score fragments from which she intended to
reconstruct some of her husband’s compositions: “Among
There can be no doubt, then, that playing in harmonics the large existing number of musical sketches written by the
was a special feature of Mertz’s technique, most notably late J. K. Mertz, there still are some very lovely items that
in Les Adieux. In another letter, Josephine remarks: “Also I intend to decipher little by little.”26 Apparently she had
unrivalled were his harmonics.”21 every intention to complete this task, because she wrote on
1 June 1902, “Among the sketches are several very lovely
J. K. Mertz as a Composer items, but it is difficult and laborious to locate them; it
In some of her letters Josephine provides some dates of takes time and patience.”27
composition that appear to be erroneous. For instance, she
writes in a letter of 17 February 1902, “The publication In another letter she explained what she was doing in more
of the Opern-Revue started in March 1843 after we settled detail: “Also on separate sheets (because he had a habit of
in Vienna, the Bardenklänge in 1845—the same year that sketching out pieces in this way) I found an original fantasy
he wrote a guitar method that to my amazement was not and several waltzes that I could reconstruct, thanks to my
mentioned anywhere. As a consequence, I don’t know what good musical memory. I also found a Huguenot-Fantasy, like
happened to it. In 1851 or 1852 he wrote Gebirgs-Bleameln the one that Thalberg wrote for the piano. He arranged it
for the zither, also for the mandolin he wrote a lot …”22 for guitar, but I still don’t know if it is complete.”28

For the guitar Congress shortly to be held in Munich she Josephine also mentioned that she had sold or given
recommended the Walzer Partie in C major (composed away copies of her husband’s works on several occasions:
in 1848), “that in our concerts have been tumultuously “Through the mediation of a guitar manufacturer I sold
requested for encores because they are so jolly.”23 She in 1858 some copies of compositions that he has sent

19 “...das wenn er es im Concert spielte, solche Sensation erregte, daß sich das ganze 24 “Die concertanten Duos für Guit. und Clavier stellen wohl große Anforderungen
Publikum erhob, um seine Finger sehen zu können, nur spielte er es in so rasendem an die Guitarre und dürften vielleicht als Raritäten dem Congreß empfohlen werden;
Tempo, daß man wirklich nicht wußte, ob das menschliche Finger seien, oder da bis jetzt außer mir niemand so dreist war, eine derartige Clavierbegleitung zur
Milliarden von Würmern, die auf den Saiten herumwirbelten.” Letter without date. Guitarre zu schreiben.” Letter of September 1901.
20 “Aber einen so schönen Ton erzielte er (Dubetz) doch nie wie mein Gatte. Denn 25 “Wirkungsvolle Quartette für zwei Mandolinen, Guitarre und Clavier schrieb
darin war er ganz unerreichbar und wenn er auch mit der größten Kraftanwendung auch mein Gatte, die wir wöchentlich dreimal beim Graphen(sic) Ledochowsky
die Saiten beinahe aus den Bünden hob, so blieb sein Ton doch immer wunderschön aufführten.” Letter of 17 September 1902.
und er war weder mit dem Orchester, noch dem stärksten Konzertflügel zu decken.” 26 “Unter den vorhandenen reichlichen Skizzen des sel. J. K. Mertz befinden
Letter of 17 February 1902. sich noch manche sehr hübsche sachen, die ich mich nach und nach zu entziffern
21 “Auch unerreicht waren seine Flageolett-Töne.” Same letter, 17 February 1902. bestreben werde.” Letter of 1 June 1902.
22 “Die Opernrevue erschienen von März 1843 an nach unserer Niederlassung in 27 “Unter den Skizzen befinden sich noch mehrere hübsche Sachen, aber es ist
Wien, die Bardenklänge im Jahr 1845, wo er auch eine Gitarrenschule schrieb, und schwierig und mühsam, unter dem Geschreibsel den Zusammenhang heraus zu
zu meinem Erstaunen nirgends eine Erwähnung gemacht wurde, folglich gar nicht finden, es gehört Zeit und Geduld dazu.” Letter of 3 May 1902.
weiß, was damit geschehen ist. Für die Zither schrieb er im Jahre 1851 oder 1852 28 “Auch auf einzelnen Blättern (den dieß war seine Gewohnheit, Skizzen
die Gebirgs-Bleameln, für Mandoline schrieb er auch viel…” Same letter, 17 February hinzuwerfen) fand ich noch eine Original Fantasie und mehrere Walzer, die ich
1902. vermögens meines guten musikalischen Gedächtnißes zusammen stellen könnte, und
23 “...die in unseren Konzerten immer stürmisch zur Wiederholung verlangt wurden, eine Hugenotten Fantasie, wie sie Thalberg für das Clavier schrieb, so arrangierte er sie
weil sie sehr lustig sind.” Letter of September 1901. für die Guitarre, ob sie aber komplett ist, weiß ich noch nicht.” Letter without date.

guitarfoundation.org Soundboard Scholar No. 2 27

JOSEF KASPAR MERTZ: (cont.)

together with his guitar to Russia (whither or to whom I

know not). In 1891, I also sent copies of some pieces to Mr.
Boije in Sweden and to Mr. Miller in America. The original
manuscripts of my late husband are in possession of the
Gitarristische Vereinigung.”29 In another letter she mentions
this event again, without giving further details.

What About a Mertz Portrait?

Josephine described her husband with the following words:
“tall and of knightly stature, slim, not broad-shouldered,
standing six feet minus two lines, with light brown hair,
a high forehead, mischievous-looking grey eyes, a delicate
little moustache, chin and cheeks beardless, and full soft red
cheeks until his last breath.”30 This description was written
at the request of an American guitarist since a photo of
Mertz was not available.

Josephine had repeatedly been asked for a photo of her

husband. Her answer was the following: “Unfortunately I
Figure 1: J. K. Mertz?
don’t possess any photo of my late husband, because the one
that was made once was so bad that within a short time it
faded and no facial features could be recognized anymore. I in his 1920 edition and often reprinted (in the Wikipedia
was not able to insist that he sit for another photo, because article, for example; see Figure 1) without giving the source,
he was very frightened and believed that he would die is of questionable authenticity.
soon.”31
Mertz’s True Name
Nine days later she wrote again on this subject: “With the Classical guitarists, lexicographers, and catalogers have long
greatest pleasure I would make a picture available to you been confused about the first or given names of Mertz. His
if I had one, but 50 years ago nobody had an idea that a earliest editions consistently used “J. K. Mertz” as author on
picture could be generated from such a thing, and because their title pages. Domingo Prat’s Diccionario de Guitarristas
it was so ephemeral, I did not take any delight in it and did (1934) actually had two adjacent entries for him: MERTZ,
not keep it, whereas I carefully kept everything interesting Juan Gaspar [i.e. Johann Kaspar], and MERTZ, José Gaspar
that existed from my husband.” Josephine did not let the [i.e. Josef (or Joseph) Kaspar]. Prat must have been aware
matter drop, but rather tried to see if any of her friends had of the conflicting forms of name, but he made no effort to
a photograph of her late husband: “I have inquired of all my reconcile them.
acquaintances if someone perhaps possessed a picture, but
again without success.”32 It seems that with the dawn of the twentieth century
various publishers made a common assumption about what
We should certainly accept the fact that neither Josephine J. K. stood for, taking it upon themselves to “establish” a
nor her circle of friends had access to the photo of him that plausible German form of Mertz’s full name: Johann Kaspar
had once been taken. With good reason, it is presumed lost. Mertz. The Library of Congress (USA) “established” the
The portrait that was used by Erwin Schwarz-Reiflingen same form of name and created a “see reference” from J. K.

29 “Durch Vermittlung eines Guitarre Fabrikanten habe ich im Jahre 1858 31 “Leider besitze ich kein Bild von meinem selig. Gatten: da es einmal so schlecht
Abschriften einiger Stücke verkauft, die er mit seiner Guitarre nach Russland gemacht war, dass es in kurzer Zeit ganz verblaßte und keine Züge zu erkennen waren,
geschickt (wohin? Oder an wen? Ist mir unbekannt). Im Jahre 1891 habe ich ebenfalls und ich durfte nicht in ihn dringen, sich noch einmal photografieren zu lassen: da er
Abschriften einiger Stücke nach Schweden an Herrn Boije, und nach Amerika an sehr ängstlich war und glaubte, er müßte schon bald sterben.” Letter of 1 June 1902.
Herrn Miller geschickt. Die wirklichen Handschriften meines selig. Gatten befinden 32 “Mit dem größten Vergnügen würde ich Ihnen das Bild zur Verfügung stellen,
sich in den Händen des Guitarr-Club.” Letter of 13 February 1902. About the gift wenn ich es noch hätte, aber vor 50 Jahren hatte niemand eine Ahnung, dass man aus
of scores and a guitar to someone in Russia, little is known. But see Figure 2, at the so einem Ding ein Bild machen könnte, und da es so Garnichts war, hatte ich keine
conclusion of this article, for more information on the missing Mertz manuscripts. Freude daran und bewahrte es nicht auf, während ich doch Alles, was von meinem
30 “..hohe ritterliche Gestalt, schlank, nicht breitschultrig, 6 Schuh hoch weniger Gatten Interessantes existiert, sorgfältig aufbewahrt habe.”
zwei Linien, dunkel blondes Haar, hohe Stirne, schelmisch blickende graue Augen, “Auch ich habe mich bei allen meinen bekannten erkundigt, ob es vielleicht jemand
zartes blondes Schurbärtchen, Kinn und Wange bartlos, volle zart rothe Wangen bis ein Bild besitzt, aber ohne Erfolg.” Letter of 10 June 1902.
zum letzten Lebenshauch.” Letter of 1 June 1902.

28 Soundboard Scholar No. 2 guitarfoundation.org

Mertz to the now common (if dubious) German form. finished, I asked for help, because the word did not seem to
be German. Everybody hesitated. I asked for a paper and
The credit must go to Astrid Stempnik for finding pencil and wrote one letter after the other. Finally I said that
documentation of Mertz’s true name, in 1982. She sent a I could not pronounce the word, but there it was! Everyone
communication to Thomas Heck, who described it this way was amazed, and nobody—neither Johann Strauß nor Franz
in his “GFA Archivist’s Report”:33 Suppé nor others—could figure out our joke.36
As many readers know, Ms. Stempnik is doing doctoral Aside from the entertaining quality of this anecdote, it
research in Vienna on the composer we are all accustomed recalls the musical circles in which the Mertz couple moved.
to referring to as Johann Kaspar Mertz. Alas, alas! What hath Might it be possible, therefore, that in letters, diary entries,
research wrought? First, the Library of Congress tells us that and biographies of other Viennese musicians during the
Fernando Sor’s real name is Sors. . . And now Ms. Stempnik’s years 1843–1856—like those of Johann Strauß or Franz
research has revealed that Mertz’s real name is CASPARUS von Suppé—more information about our couple will
JOSEPHUS MERTZ! To quote from Ms. Stempnik’s letter, emerge?
“Therefore the Schirmer editions are not wrong in giving
Mertz’s name as Joseph K. It is only interesting how the The insights gained from reading these letters add a new
editor came to this name. I hope you find my information dimension to our knowledge of J. K. Mertz, the eminent
useful.” protagonist of the guitar in the Romantic era. The
whereabouts of the autograph manuscripts that Josephine
There was some hope that in the fifteen preserved letters sold to the I.G.V. (Figure 2) remain a mystery. They were
of Josephine there would be a first-hand indication of the expected to be found in the SammlungWW. If and when
complete form of her husband’s given name. Such was not they finally emerge, we will be making serious progress in
the case! She simply used the letters J. K. or called him “my our quest to know more about the guitar and its repertoire
late husband.” Given Dr. Stempnik’s research, it now seems at that pivotal period of its history.
clear that his name should be “established” as Josef (or
Joseph) Kaspar Mertz.34

A Closing Anecdote
The following story may not, at first sight, have direct
relevance to the interpretation or reception of Mertz’s
compositions. But it shows that the couple had a special
sense of humor—a quality that could also be found in
their works. Josephine claimed for herself a “robust sense of
humor” and lightheartedly referred to her own biography as
“a walking disaster.” She signed one of her letters as “piano-
pounder and mandolin-picker.”35 Here is an especially
interesting social occasion reported by her:
The mind-reading séances held nowadays remind me that in
private gatherings we played similar jokes. I was the medium
and had to figure out, through music, the words or phrases
posed during my absence. A piano player or my husband Figure 2: List of manuscript scores of J. K.
played inconspicuous things from which I had to guess the Mertz sold to the I.G.V. by Josephine.
correct words or phrases. On one occasion, the posed word The numbers to the left appear to be
was in Polish and I listened totally amazed. After the player inventory numbers.

33 Soundboard 9, no. 4 (1982): 403. Ein Clavierspieler oder mein gatte spielten ganz unauffälige Sachen, aus denen ich das
34 Astrid Stempnik, Caspar Joseph Mertz: Leben und Werk des letzten Gitarristen im Wort oder Satz herausfinden mußte. Ein Mahl wurde ein polnisches Wort aufgegeben,
österreichischen Biedermeier (PhD diss., Univ. of Berlin, 1989), published by Verlag ich horchte ganz verblüfft, nachdem der Spieler aufgehört und, fragte ich, das Wort
Peter Lang, 1990. scheint nicht Deutsch zu sein, da stutzten schon Alle. Ich bat um Papier und Bleistift,
35 “unverwüstlicher Humor,” and “Pechvogel,” from an undated letter. der Clavierspieler fing wieder an, spielte aber ganz andere Sachen, und ich schrieb das
“Claviertrommlerin und Mandolinenzupferin” from the letter of September 1901. Wort auf. Nach Abschluss sagte ich, das Wort kann ich zwar nicht aussprechen, aber
36 “Die jetzigen gegebenen Seancen und Gedankenlesen erinnern mich, daß wir in hier steht es! Großes Halloh und Staunen und keiner, weder Johan Strauß noch Franz
Privatgesellschaften ähnlichen Ulk getrieben haben. Ich war das Medium und mußte Suppé und alle anderen konnten unseren Ulk ergründen.” Letter of 13 February 1902.
durch die Musik, in meiner Abwesenheit, aufgegebene Worte oder Sätze errathen.

guitarfoundation.org Soundboard Scholar No. 2 29