Arnold Schönberg an C. F. Peters Corp.
5. Februar 1951

February 5, 1951
Mr. Walter Hinrichsen
President
C. F. Peters Corporation
881 Seventh Ave.
New York 19, N.Y.
Dear Mr. Hinrichsen:
Mr. Richard Hoffmann is a pupil of mine
who as a courtesy helps me very much with my cor-
respondence, especially if I am sick. Accordingly,
you may direct letters signed by him to me.
I am sorry to cause your more trouble by telling
you that I cannot sign the contract you sent me.
  • Firstly, because I have been warned against this
    legal language which hides often traps which only
    a shrewd lawyer can discover. I will only sign a
    contract in common-place language. May be I can
    send you a sketch of it.
  • 2.) There are some points which I have crossed out
    in every contract. Especially such which destroy
    the artistic qualities of my work by changes or
    transcriptions etc.
  • 3.) What about other contries and continents?
    There would be no royalty paid?
  • 4.) I don't admit the advertising without royal-
    ties, besides review copies and other complementary
    ones can only be granted in a contractly limited number.
  • 5.) I insist on having the right to dispose freely
    about my property.
  • 6.) Do you really plan to pay me 20 cents per copy,
    if, in case of inflation the currency in any country
    changes. I had agreed on ten percent (10 %) royalties
    from the retail price in every country. This con-
    dition must be clearly and unmistakably appear in
    the contract.
All my other publishers account twice a year. I want
to have the same condition with you.
I am unable to go to a notary public because of my
illness. Up to now my publishers have never demanded
notarization, but only a witness' signature. I hope

this will also satisfy you.
If I can, I will as beforementioned send you my
sketch or model for a contract, which is a con-
densation of those which I usually had to sign.
With me you need no strong strangulating contracts.
My honesty is more dependable than any written
word. If you act similary, than also you do not
need extra strong conditions. If what you ask is
just or reasonable, you will also find me a good
party of the “second part“.
Most sincerely yours,

February 5, 1951
Mr. Walter Hinrichsen
President
C. F. Peters Corporation
881 Seventh Ave.
New York 19, N.Y.
Dear Mr. Hinrichsen:
Mr. Richard Hoffmann is a pupil of mine who as a courtesy helps me very much with my correspondence, especially if I am sick. Accordingly, you may direct letters signed by him to me.
I am sorry to cause your more trouble by telling you that I cannot sign the contract you sent me.
  • Firstly, because I have been warned against this legal language which hides often traps which only a shrewd lawyer can discover. I will only sign a contract in common-place language. May be I can send you a sketch of it.
  • 2.) There are some points which I have crossed out in every contract. Especially such which destroy the artistic qualities of my work by changes or transcriptions etc.
  • 3.) What about other contries and continents? There would be no royalty paid?
  • 4.) I don't admit the advertising without royalties, besides review copies and other complementary ones can only be granted in a contractly limited number.
  • 5.) I insist on having the right to dispose freely about my property.
  • 6.) Do you really plan to pay me 20 cents per copy, if, in case of inflation the currency in any country changes. I had agreed on ten percent (10 %) royalties from the retail price in every country. This condition must clearly and unmistakably appear in the contract.
All my other publishers account twice a year. I want to have the same condition with you.
I am unable to go to a notary public because of my illness. Up to now my publishers have never demanded notarization, but only a witness' signature. I hope this will also satisfy you.
If I can, I will as beforementioned send you my sketch or model for a contract, which is a condensation of those which I usually had to sign.
With me you need no strong strangulating contracts. My honesty is more dependable than any written word. If you act similary, than also you do not need extra strong conditions. If what you ask is just or reasonable, you will also find me a good party of the “second part“.
Most sincerely yours,
ASCC 5703
5. Februar 1951
The Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Music Division
Arnold Schoenberg Collection
Brief, Durchschlag

Zitierhinweis:

Arnold Schönberg an C. F. Peters Corp., 5. Februar 1951, in: Arnold Schönberg: Briefwechsel mit C. F. Peters. Hrsg. von Florian Giering. Version 1.0 vom 02.04.2025. URL: https://www.schoenberg-peters.at/cfp/letters/letter.5703.