1635: Music and Murder (50 page)

But although the good pastor drew me from the maze, it was your visits, more than any, which encouraged me and gave me light. I will boldly say it now, that although I would never be foolish enough to compare one woman to another, in this one thing you and my poor Magdalena are alike: that you can by the grace of your own life lift up those who stumble and fall under the burden that life sometimes becomes.

I will send this letter by way of one who will ride the train for the army, in the hopes that you will receive it in but a few days. You have said that you will arrive in Magdeburg on the first day of July. Unless you somehow advise me differently, I will look for you then.

With the greatest of boldness I am

Your most affectionate servant.

Heinrich Schütz

23 day of June, 1634

Magdeburg

****

To Frau Euphrosine Biegerin verw. Schütz

In Weissenfels

Dearest Mother

Your letter has arrived, but before I can answer it I must tell you the most wonderful news. Four days ago, after the grand concert I told you about in my last letter, Princess Kristina, daughter and sole heir of the Emperor Gustav Adolf, King of Sweden, told me that her father desired me to become the
Kappellmeister
of the court in Magdeburg. It was such a great shock, after months of hoping, that I stuttered and told them that I would think about it. Fortunately, my thoughts required only a few moments, and I quickly returned to her and accepted the royal offer with great thanks.

My young friend, Maestro Giacomo Carissimi, has at the same time been named to become the head master of the newly established Royal Academy of Music, to be founded and built here in Magdeburg. It is to be a school of music based on the model of what the Grantvillers call a conservatory. I do not envy him the challenge.

My responsibilities are to provide music for the royal court when it is present; to support the symphony orchestra, the grand assemblage of strings that I mentioned in my last letter; to assist Maestro Giacomo if he desires my presence or help; and to otherwise do what I can to spread the knowledge of up-time music, the music brought back from the future in Grantville. That alone is a challenge that will require the rest of my life.

I have already received the first portion of my stipend, and enclosed is a portion of it for the support of the girls. If they are growing as quickly as you say, then I am certain that they need new shoes, at the very least, if not new clothing of all types. Let me know what other needs exist, for I am now in a position to provide more than I have in the past. The emperor was most generous in the amount of the stipend, as well as providing quarters in the palace for the near future. Lucas and I are very well provided for.

Tell Euphrosine that Blume now has a stall of his own in the royal stables, and is very well cared for indeed. He has become a favorite of the stable boys, and will without a doubt become spoiled, fat and lazy if Lucas does not arrange for constant exercise.

I know that you grieved over the death of Magdalena, Mother, almost as much as I did. And I also know that you have tried to tell me again and again that such things happen; it should not be the end of the world or of my life. For long I did not understand what you said; indeed, I grew angry at times that you had said it. Be glad to know, then, that I have at long last emerged from the valley of the shadow of death. I embrace life now, rather than endure it. I will write more on that later.

With all love,

Your son.

Heinrich

7 day of July, 1634

Magdeburg

****

To Frau Amber Higham

In Grantville

My dear Amber

It is with relief that I welcome the news that you have arrived in Grantville safely and in good health. My sleep has been disrupted with visions of your rail carriage being involved in some catastrophe—fifteen miles an hour is a totally insane speed of travel. Now that you have completed your journey, my heart and mind can be at rest.

I thank you with all my heart for coming to Magdeburg. The three days I spent in your company have been some of the happiest of my life; or at least of my recent life. The joy of my new position in life was made even greater because you were present to hear the announcement and share it with me.

You observed the reluctance I had for your leaving. Well I know that you have responsibilities in Grantville that you must fulfill, so I did not try to hold you, or at least not greatly. It did surprise me, however, just how much of a void I have felt in my life the last few days.

I have therefore attempted to throw myself at my new work. My duties are still somewhat undefined, but I do know that I will be responsible for music for the court when it is in session, as well as promoting the up-time musical knowledge to be found in Grantville. To that end, I am already dwelling upon which means or several means to use to do so. I may need recommendations from you or Master Wendell if I determine there is a need to contact a Grantville attorney.

Behold how selfish I am, that no sooner have you left Magdeburg than I am already asking you to return when you can. There must doubtless be some time ere long at which you can spare some days to travel here and shine some light in the lives of myself and Lucas. Not forgetting Blume, who misses the way you scratched around his ears. Every time Lucas goes to check on him, he reports that Blume seems most disappointed you did not come with him.

With greatest affection, I am

Your obedient servant.

Heinrich Schütz

9 day of July, 1634

Magdeburg

****

To Frau Euphrosine Biegerin verw. Schütz

In Weissenfels

Mother

The news provided in your most recent letter both distresses and angers me. That Anna Justina has become such a trial so quickly is out of reason, and her demands of you are intolerable. She has obviously come under someone's influence, and it would be well for us if you can determine who it is.

You have my authority, of course, to apply the rod if you deem it necessary. She is but thirteen, and is not beyond the age where her bottom cannot be warmed enough to prevent her sitting comfortably for a day, or even two.

You may tell her from me that we are not a family of the
Hoch-Adel
, that silver
Groschen
do not drip from my fingertips, and that she will not get an ermine hand warmer, a hat with a peacock feather, thread of gold ribbons, or any other such nonsense. She will be dressed soberly and sensibly as long as she lives under my provision.

It sorrows me that you must deal with this. I leave it to your judgment as to whether I should come to Weissenfels to address her.

With love,

Your son.

Heinrich

12 day of July, 1634

Magdeburg

****

To the most renowned Maestro Girolamo Frescobaldi,

City of Florence

Maestro

Just as the vagaries of chance allowed your previous missive to find me in three weeks, your most recent letter has just arrived, some two months after you signed it. I look forward to the spreading of the postal services that I am hearing about, where letters will travel at such speed as to arrive at their destinations within two weeks of their being written.

Maestro, your letter concerns me. I had hoped to receive a balanced judgment of the music available in the libraries of Grantville, music from a time far advanced over ours. Your musical knowledge is regarded so highly, that I felt you would be one of the best sources of such a judgment. It sorrows me that you feel you were treated shabbily at the hands of the Americans. I have met most of the people you mention, I have come to know and admire them, and I tell you that it was not their intent to denigrate you in any manner. Although I have been unable to meet with Frau Mary Simpson, the patroness who brought you to Magdeburg for that concert last December, I am assured that she has only the highest respect for you.

In particular, maestro, Frau Marla Linder—who is now married to young Franz Sylwester, the violinist who accompanied her in one of her songs—is much more than you describe. Your depiction of her as one who would tear you down in order to build herself up is, I am afraid, based more on your anger than on the events of that evening. I find her to be a young woman of grace beyond her years, who would in no way have ever desired to harm you or your reputation. Indeed, she respects you greatly, both for your work and for the ways in which your work helped shape the future of music as the Grantvillers know the art.

As to your charge that there should be no place for her or her kind, allow me to say that even in the Germanies we have heard of Francesca Caccini,
La Cecchina,
who is the songbird in the court of the Medicis. Young Marla bids fair to be another such as the renowned Signora Caccini. Even now her repute is growing.

I beg you to set aside your antipathy with the people, maestro, and consider the music. What is your judgment of the music of Grantville?

With great respect,

Your most humble servant.

Heinrich Schütz

2 day of August, 1634

Magdeburg

****

To Frau Euphrosine Biegerin verw. Schütz

In Weissenfels

Dear Mother

It is good to hear that Anna Justina has ceased to be so contentious. On the other hand, it provides no surprise that you were forced to use the rod. She is my daughter, after all, and I do seem to recall some occasions in my early years where my own stubbornness—yes, I admit to it—caused painful corrections to be applied to my own posterior. We should thank God, by all means, that Euphrosine the Younger seems to have inherited the mild temperament of our good Magdalena. It is to be hoped that she will be a calming influence on the family and on her older sister in particular. If not, recalling my own youth, I foresee stormy times ahead.

Enclosed are a few silver pfennigs to be used to provide for the girls. Tell them that their father loves them. I still hope to come to Weissenfels soon.

With love,

Your son.

Heinrich

4 day of August, 1634

Magdeburg

****

To Frau Amber Higham

In Grantville

Dearest Amber

Behold me, acting like the veriest lovesick swain. I wait each day for the arrival of a letter, and if none appears, I mope and pout. Pens are broken, pages are crumpled and tossed aside, furniture is kicked. Indeed, I leave a very trail of destruction in my wake. Young Lucas bears the brunt of my ill humors, and will no doubt testify to my behavior.

But today, today your letter appeared. It is as if the sun has broken through the clouds, illuminating what had been shadowed.

Dearheart. To read that written in your own hand sends a wave of feeling through me. You have remonstrated with me before that I am neither old nor a fool, but I know not what else to call myself, feeling as I did when as a youth I first stole a kiss from the daughter of my father's friend. I am giddy, and people make jokes of old men acting as they did when they were but youths. But at the advanced age of 49, I have decided I no longer care what people think. You are my dearheart, my own, and that is sufficient. God is good, to bring we two together, and I daily provide Him thanks for that grace. And grace it most certainly is, for I have certainly done nothing to merit it.

Please provide my thanks to Master Wendell. The documents concerning the foundation of the Grantville Music Trust have arrived, and for the most part have proven to be both reasonable and satisfactory. Those of us here in Magdeburg have but a few observations and recommendations to make concerning emendations. Without a doubt, they will be on their way to Master Wendell before too many more days have passed.

Frau Marla says to say Hi to you from her. Her observation of the proposed work of the Grantville Music Trust is that the work should ordinarily be ordered by the medium in use. The tapes should be notated first, then the LPs, whatever they are. She is concerned about deterioration, if I understand her correctly. Only after those are done should someone begin working the CDs—which I have heard, and are indeed a marvel. I hope that the knowledge and skills to make those have been preserved. It would be a grievous loss indeed if they cannot be carried forward. Please convey these thoughts to Master Wendell and the others involved in Grantville.

Also, please make my thanks known to young Thomas Schwarzberg for the work he has been doing. I trust that he has been training others to also notate the music from the recordings. The Trust will need more than one person to do this work. It is not that young Schwarzberg is less than adequate; indeed, he has proven to be a most worthy amanuensis for the future. But I find that I want to hear music from his pen and heart, inspired by his muse; music that only he with his experiences of the last year or more can write. Give him that charge from me, if you will.

I still hunger to see your face again, and hope that you can find some way to come to Magdeburg again soon, even if it is only for a day or two. A small bit of bread can keep a man alive for a long time, and so I find in glimpses of you the very life that I need.

With devotion, I am

Your humble servant.

Heinrich

7 day of August, 1634

Magdeburg

****

To Frau Amber Higham

In Grantville

My Dear Amber

Once again I am lifted to the heights upon receiving your most recent letter. I think that it would not even matter what you wrote; that you could copy verses from the Bible or passages from the great encyclopedia, for the mere sight of your hand on the page fills my heart with joy.

It is good to hear that things continue to be well with you. We are well here, of course. The musicians have for the most part embarked upon a performance of the great oratorio,
Messiah
, by one Georg Friederich Händel. Frau Marla has commissioned the printing of the music by a local printer.

Printers tend to either be arrogant or seditious. This family has managed to be both. The father, one Agamemnon Zopff, takes bombast to its utmost, perhaps to match that of Falstaff in your beloved Shakespeare. The younger son, Telemachus, I hear has ties to the Committees of Correspondence. It is fortunate that the older son, Patroclus, seems to be a man of good sense.