Acquisition of the special edition of the 'Reisebuch aus den österreichischen Alpen'

Parallel to the premiere of Krenek’s song cycle Reisebuch aus den österreichischen Alpen (Travel Book from the Austrian Alps) in Leipzig on 17 January 1930, Universal Edition advertised the editions of Krenek’s newest work: the standard version as four booklets à 4 Reichsmark each (than ca. 5 Schilling) or in the luxury edition, which contained all the songs together in one volume, à 25 Reichsmark.

This luxury edition was bound in gold-embossed cloth, had four original etchings by the young artist Herta Matura (who, in Krenek customarily disrespectful memoirs, was distinguished above all for being “protégéd” by Emil Hertzka, the director of Universal Edition). The one hundred produced copies were signed by Krenek.

One of these copies was acquired by Dutch musicologist Anthony van Hoboken, who became famous for his catalog of Haydn’s works, and another only recently by the Krenek Institute.