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{..RICHARD:STRAUSS..}
[[[,,,,,,,,and,,,,,,,,]]]
{JOHN:HENRY:MACKAY}
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by Hubert Kennedy off merchant family, gave him enough money to live
modestly, so that he was able to choose the career
When Richard Strauss married the singer Pauline de of writer without worrying about eventual sales of
Ahna in Weimar on 10 September 1894, his wed- his books. This situation changed in later years, es-
ding gift to her was, appropriately, a set of songs. pecially after the First World War when the runaway
Dedicated “to my beloved Pauline,” they were his inflation in Germany wiped out the value of the
Op. 27, “four of his greatest Lieder” according to annuity he had purchased with money inherited
Strauss scholar Michael Kennedy (1976, 28). One from his mother. In his last years he was barely able
was written only the day before the wedding, but to support himself from the sale of his books. He
two of t hem, “Heimliche Aufforder ung” and died in Berlin on 16 May 1933.
“Morgen!”—set to lyrics of the poet John Henry Mackay’s first publication was in 1885 when,
Mackay—were completed on successive days the pre- following a brief visit to Scotland, he wrote a narra-
ceding May and must have already been familiar to tive poem in imitation of Walter Scott’s The Lady of
the new Frau Strauss. They continue to be familiar the Lake (Mornin 1986). Instant fame came to him,
to the musical public, especially the second of these, however, with the publication in 1891 of Die
for, as Kennedy noted: “the last of the group is the Anarchisten (The Anarchists), which also appeared in 15
wondrous Morgen, which custom can never stale, if English that same year (see now Mackay 1999) and
the singer is an artist” (210)—a judgment confirmed by 1910 had been translated into six other languages.
in recent years by Jessye Norman in her all-Strauss Having announced already in 1889 his intention to
recitals. But while information on the composer is prepare a biography of Max Stirner (1806–1856),
readily available, concertgoers who have wished to Mackay was known as the rediscoverer of that
know more about the lyricist have usually been frus- philosopher of egoism long before the biography
trated, for neither the “old Grove” nor the New Grove actually appeared in 1898. In the meantime, he had
Dictionary of Music and Musicians has an entry on published several volumes of lyric poetry. (The col-
Mackay, and the entries on him in reference works lected edition of his poetry in 1898 has over 600
of German literature are few and often misleading. pages.) And in 1901 his novel Der Schwimmer (The
A brief sketch of Mackay’s life will be given here, Swimmer) — which Mackay later tried, unsuccess-
including his contact with Strauss, along with an fully, to have made into a film — was one of the first
indication of how this can help us better appreciate literary sports novels; it remains important for the
these lyrics. (Two biographies of Mackay have been history of competitive swimming and, especially,
published: Riley 1972, Solneman 1979). diving.
John Henry Mackay was born in Greenock, Scot- Thus Mackay’s interests were varied, and it was
land, on 6 February 1864, but was only nineteen probably not his lyric poetry that first attracted
months old when his Scottish father, a marine in- Strauss, but rather Mackay’s anarchist philosophy
surance broker, died. His mother then returned with and his connection with Stirner. Strauss wrote his
her son to her native Germany, where she later re- father, the horn virtuoso Franz Strauss, on 7 April
married. After completing his schooling, Mackay was 1892: “In Berlin I made the charming acquaintance
briefly an apprentice in a publishing house and then of a Scottish poet John Henry Mackay, a great anar-
attended several universities, but only as an auditor. chist and biographer of the Berlin philosopher Max
An allowance from his mother, who was of a well- Stirner” (Schuh 1976, 261). And Arthur Siedl has
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related that only three hours before the premiere of time was as period when, as he later wrote, “people
Strauss’s Guntram in Weimar on 10 May 1894 the thought my artistic power had disappeared.” For
two of them “passionately” discussed Mackay’s book eight years beginning in 1905 and using a pseudo-
Die Anarchisten (Schuh 1976, 261). Less than two nym, Mackay gave his time and energy—and much
weeks after that discussion, Strauss set to music the of his money—to a new cause, the struggle to free
two love lyrics of Mackay mentioned above. homosexuals (and boy-lovers in particular—Mackay
These poems were first published in 1890 in Das himself was attracted to boys between the ages of
starke Jahr, Mackay’s third volume of lyric poetry, fourteen and seventeen) from social prejudice and
and both were singled out by critics. Ernst Kreowski legal persecution. This aspect of Mackay’s life is
(1891) wrote that “Morgen!” was “the most beauti- missing from all standard reference works, but some
ful of the whole collection” and quoted it in his re- knowledge of it is necessary for an understanding
view; in a later study of Mackay’s work, Paul of the lyrics of the Strauss song. This was suggested
Friedrich (1908-09) wrote that “the high point of his by Mackay himself in a passage of the autobiographi-
lyric poetry was reached by Mackay in 1890 with cal novel Fenny Skaller, which he wrote at that time
D a s st a rk e J a h r,” and he chose “Heimliche under his pseudonym Sagitta (the Latin word for
Aufforderung” for quotation. Strauss scholars, too, “arrow”). In one of the chapters, the title character,
have written warmly of these lyrics. In discussing Fenny Skaller, has just finished a light supper with
Strauss’s Op. 27, Norman Del Mar wrote of wine:
“Heimliche Aufforderung” (Secret Invitation): “Any- While he still held the glass in his hand his glance fell on the
thing further from Mackay’s anarchistic mission than back of a book and he read a beloved name—the name of a
this fervent love song it would be hard to find and poet whom only they could entirely understand who knew
the whole conception of the lovers’ secret tryst who and what he was, and whom, therefore, the majority did
amidst a group of merry-makers is happy in the ex- not understand at all. (Mackay 1988, 68)
treme” (1973, 3: 286). And he concluded: “The last Whether or not Mackay intended the “beloved name”
song in the group is the ever popular Morgen! again of this passage as his own, it clearly applied to him,
to a love poem by Mackay, though this time in a and there is no doubt that the homosexuality of the
mood of deep rapture” (3: 287). author is implied.
The composition of these songs must have helped Dedication to this cause helped lift Mackay from
to bring Strauss and Mackay closer. Max Halbe re- the depression that followed the death of his mother.
16 ported that he met Strauss at a party at Mackay’s His plan was to use his ability as a writer to rally
house, where the songs were sung (Solneman 1979, others to the cause before “going public” with it,
96); and it was through Mackay’s mediation that and he projected two publications a year to be sold
Strauss and his wife gave a concert at the Neue Freie by subscription only. (Their length varied; the novel
Volksbühne in Berlin (Solneman 1979, 102). That Fenny Skaller, whose purpose was to “deepen psy-
was before Strauss’s call to Berlin as conductor of chologically” the concept he called “the nameless
the Royal Court Opera in 1898. The high point of love,” and a book of poems, in which he meant to
their contact came on 28 November 1899 when the “sing its praises,” were the longest.) The project was
Volksbühne gave a “Mackay evening” at which Frau conceived in 1905 and the first booklets published
Strauss sang the Mackay songs, accompanied by her in 1906, but four of the Sagitta poems had already
husband at the piano. The evening was introduced appeared in 1905 in the Berlin magazine Der Eigene
by an appreciation of Mackay’s work by Rudolf (The Self-Owner), which began in 1896 as an anar-
Steiner, the later anthroposophist, but then editor chist journal in the direction of Max Stirner, but from
of a literary journal and a particularly close friend 1898 was openly homosexual. That Mackay was very
of Mackay. A. A. Rudolph wrote of the evening: “The concerned to keep his identity secret is shown by
poet himself kept back shyly, although the affair, the care he took in his contact with the journal’s
with 2000 attending, was an enthusiastic manifesta- editor Adolf Brand: although Mackay was living in
tion for the poet, the musician, and the speaker” Berlin and personally acquainted with Brand, the
(Schellenberg 1982, 16). poems and all correspondence concerning them came
Contact between the two men had probably from Dresden in the handwriting of Mackay’s friend,
ceased by the time Mackay’s mother died in 1902; the Dresden actress Luise Firle (1865–1942) (Adolf
their careers certainly diverged thereafter. Although Brand to Martin Fiedler, 21 August 1939. Bibliothek).
very nearly the same age—four months separated Despite Mackay’s caution his booklets were confis-
them—Strauss’s fame as conductor and composer cated by the police in 1908 and, after a court battle
rapidly increased, while for Mackay the following that dragged on for nineteen months, were finally
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declared immoral and ordered destroyed and forbid- placing “stummes” with “grosses” (“great”—as given
den, while their publisher, Bernard Zack, was given in the above translation), presumably to avoid the
a stiff fine (which was, in fact, paid by Mackay). close repetition of “stumm” in the line before.
His care to keep his identity secret had been the right For Mackay’s early love epic Helene it can be
strategy, however, for, as he wrote to his American shown that the title character was patterned after a
anarchist friend Benjamin R. Tucker in his rather boy he knew (Kennedy 1986). This strategy is not
faulty, but still understandable English: “If they had uncommon in literature, though it is perhaps sig-
known who Sagitta was, they had to sentence me nificant that in the next Mackay poem that Strauss
logically for prison” (Mackay 1991, no. 42). set, “Verführung” (Seduction, 1896, Op. 33, No. 1),
Despite this setback, Mackay completed his Books the object of the seduction was clearly identified as
of the Nameless Love, which were published in a one- female (“du Schöne!). Even so, as Norman Del Mar
volume edition in 1913, ostensibly in Paris, but sold notes, “it was sternly received by the critics at the
underground by him in Berlin. Afterwards he wrote first performance and the wretched singer accused
under his real name, but he returned once again as of immodest behaviour” (3: 301). The last of the
Sagitta in 1926 with the novel Der Puppenjunge, which Mackay songs of Strauss was “In der Campagna”
is set in the milieu of boy prostitutes in Berlin in the (1899, Op. 41, No. 2), a hymn to nature and not a
1920s (Mackay 1985). By then Mackay’s identity as love song.
Sagitta was an open secret, though this was never Besides Richard Strauss, several other compos-
acknowledged by him. He stated in his will, however, ers also wrote settings for poems of Mackay. In 1902
that whenever the Sagitta works were reprinted they Max Reger also set “Morgen!” (Op. 66, No. 10) and
should bear his true name. three years later Arnold Schönberg set Mackay’s “Am
It must be clear from this discussion that the love Wegrand” (By the Wayside, Op. 6, No. 6). This last
lyrics of Mackay were inspired by boys. Although is particularly interesting since the object of the
some of them are written as if addressed to women, poet’s longing is unexpectedly, for a poem with
most leave the gender of the beloved unstated, and Mackay’s real name, clearly male. It begins: “A thou-
this is so of the two Strauss songs mentioned. Since sand people are passing by/ The one I long for, he is
it is brief, “Morgen!” may be quoted as an example: not among them!”
At least four other poems of Mackay have been
Morgen! set to music: “Auf dem Meer” (Op. 54) by Hugo
Kaun, “Aus unserer Zeit” (Op. 2) by Gustav Brecher, 17
Und morgen wird die Sonne wieder scheinen, “Wild schäumen auf” by Leo Michielsen, and “Ich
und auf dem Wege, den ich gehen werde, ging an deinem Haus vorüber” by Eugen d’Albert
wird uns, die Seligen, sie wieder einen, (also born in Scotland, two months after Mackay).
immitten dieser sonnenatmenden Erde… This last song was mentioned in the report of
Mackay’s funeral that Walther Heinrich wrote (in
Und zu dem Strand, dem weiten, wogenblauen, English) to Mackay’s longtime friend Benjamin R.
werden wir still und langsam niedersteigen. Tucker:
Stumm werden wir uns in die Augen schauen, On the evening of Saturday the 20th May we had a little
und auf uns sinkt des Glückes stummes Schweigen. funeral at Wilmersdorf near Berlin. As he had wished, no word
(Mackay 1984, 56) was spoken, we were only five persons. But the organ played
pieces of Bach and Händel, a female singer sung his “Ich ging
Tomorrow an deinem Haus vorüber…” with accompaniment of organ and
violin after the composition of d’Albert. Some other composi-
Tomorrow again will shine the sun tions, an adagio of a violin sonata of Händel and a fugue of
And on my sunlit path of earth Bach made the finale. The ashes are deposited on a church-
Unite us again, as it has done, yard at Stahnsdorf, a stone with the name will there be laid
And give our bliss another birth. on the place. (Mackay 1991, no. 196)
This description of the “little funeral” of Mackay
The spacious beach under wave-blue skies points up the diverse destinies of Strauss and
We’ll reach by descending soft and slow, Mackay, for while the former survived the Nazi era,
And mutely gaze in each other’s eyes, all of the “Sagitta” writings of Mackay, which had
As over us rapture’s great hush will flow. been left unmolested during the Weimar Republic,
were put on the Nazi list of forbidden books and
Mackay later revised the last line of this poem, re- his anarchist writings likewise disappeared from
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view. Mackay was a many-sided thinker, but only

since about 1974, with the founding of a new Appendix I:
Mackay Gesellschaft, has a concerted effort been Poems by John Henry Mackay
made to recall this unjustly forgotten writer to the
attention of a larger public. The beauty of his lyrics, that have been set to music
however, has been constantly recalled through the
songs of Strauss. Love is indeed a universal senti- Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951)
ment, as is shown by the fact that the lyric poetry
of John Henry Mackay, inspired by boys, could in Op. 6, No. 6: Am Wegrand [At the road’s edge]
turn inspire the musical genius of Richard Strauss.
Richard Strauss (1864–1949)
References
Op. 27, No. 3: Heimliche Aufforderung (1894) [Se-
Bibliothek der Abteilung für Sexual Forschung der Universität cret invitation]
Hamburg. Op. 27, No. 4: Morgen! (1894) [Tomorrow!]
Del Mar, Norman. 1973. Richard Strauss: A Critical Commentary of Op. 33, No. 1: Verführung (1896) [Seduction]
His Life and Works. 3 vols. Philadelphia: Chilton Book Co. Op. 41, No. 2: In der Campagna (1899) [In the
Friedrich, Paul. 1908–09. John Henry Mackay. Das literarische Echo Campagna]
11: 321–326.
Kennedy, Hubert. 1986. No good deed goes unpunished: John Max Reger (1873–1916)
Henry Mackay’s Helene. Germanic Notes 17: 6–8.
Kennedy, Michael. 1976. Richard Strauss. London: J. M. Dent & Op. 66, No. 10: Morgen! (1902) [Tomorrow!]
Sons.
Kreowski, Ernst. 1891. Review of Das starke Jahr by John Henry Leo Michielsen
Mackay. Die Gesellschaft 7: 696–698.
Mackay, John Henry. 1984. Ausgewählte Gedichte, 1884–1926. Wild schäumen auf [Wildly foams up]
Freiburg/Br.: Mackay-Gesellschaft.
———. 1985. The Hustler. Translated by Hubert Kennedy. Boston: Eugen d’Albert (1864–1932)
Alyson Publications.
18 ———. 1988. Fenny Skaller and Other Prose Writings from the Books of Ich ging an deinem Haus vorüber [I walked by your
the Nameless Love. Amsterdam: Southernwood Press. house]
———. 1991. Dear Tucker: The Letters from John Henry Mackay to
Benjamin R.Tucker. Edited by Hubert Kennedy. San Francisco: Hugo Kaun (1863–1932)
Peremptory Publications.
———. 1999. The Anarchists: A Picture of Civilization at the Close of the Auf dem Meer. Symphonische Dichtung für
Nineteenth Century. Translated by George Schumm. Brooklyn, gemischstem Chor, Bariton-Solo und grosses
NY: Autonomedia. Orchester, Op. 54 [At sea]
Mornin, Edward. 1986. A Late German Imitation of Walter Scott.
Germanic Notes 17: 49–51. Gustav Brecher (1879–1940)
Riley, Thomas A. 1972. Germany’s Poet-Anarchist John Henry Mackay:
A Contribution to the History of German Literature at the Turn of the Aus unserer Zeit (Op. 2), eine symphonische Fantasie
Century, 1880–1920. New York: Revisionist Press. nach Versen von John Henry Mackay für grosses
Schellenberg, Jakob. 1982. Rudolf Steiner und Silvio Gesell. Boll: Orchester. [From our time]
Trithemius-Institut.
Schuh, Willi. 1976. Richard Strauss: Jugend und frühe Meisterjahre,
Lebenschronik 1864–1898. Zurich: Atlantis Musikbuch.
Solneman, K. H. Z. [Kurt Helmut Zube]. 1979. Der Bahnbrecher
John Henry Mackay: Sein Leben und sein Werk. Freiburg/Br.:
Mackay-Gesellschaft.
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Appendix II:
Translations
by Hubert Kennedy of
John Henry Mackay poems set to music by
Richard Strauss (1864–1949)

Heimliche Aufforderung Secret Invitation

Auf, hebe die funkelnde Schale Lift up, lift up the shining cup
Empor zum Mund, Up to your lips,
Und trinke beim Freudenmahle With pleasure do we dine and sup,
Dein Herz gesund! And toast, no sips!

Und wenn du sie hebst, so winke And when you drink give me a wink
Mir heimlich zu, So secretly—
Dann lächle ich und dann trinke Then I will smile and also drink
Ich still wie du... To you and me…

Und still gleich mir betrachte And like me calmly look again
Um uns das Heer About the crowd
Der trunknen Schwätzer—verachte Of drunken chatter, do not disdain
Sie nicht zu sehr: Them all out loud:

Nein, hebe die blinkende Schale, No, lift the gleaming cup once more
Gefüllt mit Wein, That’s filled with wine,
Und laß beim lärmenden Mahle And let them happily drink and roar
Sie glücklich sein. And noisily dine. 19

—Doch hast du das Mahl genossen, Yet when you have enjoyed your meal
Den Durst gestillt, And stilled your thirst,
Dann verlasse der lauten Genossen Then leave your loud companions’ peal
festfreudiges Bild And as the first

Und wandle hinaus in den Garten Go out into the garden lot
Zum Rosenstrauch— The rose bush find
Dort will ich dich dann erwarten Where I am waiting at the spot
Nach altem Brauch… That customs bind.

Und will an die Brust dir sinken, And I will sink upon your breast
Eh du’s erhofft, Before it’s shown,
Und deine Küsse trinken, And then I’ll drink your kisses best
Wie ehmals oft, As oft you’ve known,

Und flechten in deine Haare Entwine the splendor in your hair

Der Rose Pracht— Of roses bright.
O komme, du wunderbare, Oh come, you wonderful and fair
Ersehnte Nacht! And longed-for night!

[From: John Henry Mackay, Ausgewählte Gedichte

(1984), pp. 64–65]
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Morgen! Tomorrow

Und morgen wird die Sonne wieder scheinen, Tomorrow again will shine the sun
und auf dem Wege, den ich gehen werde, And on my sunlit path of earth
wird uns, die Seligen, sie wieder einen, Unite us again, as it has done,
immitten dieser sonnenatmenden Erde… And give our bliss another birth.

Und zu dem Strand, dem weiten, wogenblauen, The spacious beach under wave-blue skies
werden wir still und langsam niedersteigen. We’ll reach by descending soft and slow,
Stumm werden wir uns in die Augen schauen, And mutely gaze in each other’s eyes,
und auf uns sinkt des Glückes stummes Schweigen. As over us rapture’s great hush will flow.

[From: John Henry Mackay, Ausgewählte Gedichte

(1984), p. 56]

Verführung Seduction

Der Tag, der schwüle, The sultry day is fading, and now
Verblaßt, und nun Desires to rest in this coolness,
In dieser Kühle What results from your festival of pleasure:
Begehrt zu ruhn, Now snuggles with trembling, breast on breast…
Was sich ergeben
Dein Fest der Lust:
Nun schmiegt mit Beben
Sich Brust an Brust...

Es hebt der Nachthauch The breath of night raises its wide sway:
Die Schwingen weit: “Whoever loves also awakens at this time…”
“Wer liebt, der wacht auch It kisses the wave and it yields
20 Zu dieser Zeit…” On the spot, because it loves him…
Er küßt die Welle
Und sie ergibt
Sich ihm zur Stelle,
Weil sie ihn liebt...

O großes Feiern! O great festival! O most beautiful night!

O schönste Nacht! All its splendor now unveiled,
Nun wird entschleiern. Which during the day lay hidden in doubts,
Sich alle Pracht, In fear and care—now is the day!
Die tags verborgen
In Zweifeln lag,
In Angst und Sorgen—
Jetzt wird es Tag!

Still stößt vom Strande Silently shoves from the shore a slender boat—
Ein schwankes Boot— Is the murderer death leaving the land?
Verläßt die Lande He was ordered here in vain:
Der Mörder Tod? The god of life rules the world!…
Er ward vergebens
Hierher bestellt:
Der Gott des Lebens
Beherrscht die Welt!…
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Welch stürmisch’ Flüstern What stormy whispers along the way?

Den Weg entlang? What implores so eagerly? What sighs so fearfully?
Was fleht so lüstern? Now hears your ear something never-heard—
Was seufst so bang? It deludes like poison: What is happening here?!
Ein Nie-Gehörtes
Hört nun dein Ohr—
Wie Gift betört es:
Was geht hier vor?!

Der Sinn der Töne The meaning of the sound is known to me,
Ist mir bekannt, Therefore, you beauty, give me your hand:
Drum gib, du Schöne, I who know how to touch your heart,
Mir deine Hand: I will lead you into wonderland…
Der ich zu rühren
Dein Herz verstand,
Ich will dich führen
Ins Wunderland...

Mit süßem Schaudern With sweet shudders you tear away.

Reißt du dich los. What does your delay help? It is your fate!
Was hilft dein Zaudern? The voices hush. Whoever is awake, loves—
Dir fiel dein Los! You will be mine yet this night!
Die Stimmen schweigen.
Es liebt, wer wacht—
Du wirst mein eigen
Noch diese Nacht!

[From: John Henry Mackay, Ausgewählte Gedichte

(1984), pp. 58–60]
21

In der Campagna In the Campagna

Ich grüße die Sonne, die dort versinkt, I greet the sun that’s sinking there,
Ich grüße des Meeres schweigende Fluten, I greet the silent waves of the sea,
Das durstig, durstig die Gluten trinkt, That thirsty, thirsty drink the flames
Die lautlos an seinem Herzen verbluten. That silently bleed on its heart.

Ich grüße die Ebene—wie liegt sie still, I greet the plain—how still it lies,
Des Abends geheimnisvoll-dämmernde Weite, The mysterious-twilight breadth of evening,
Durch die ich—der ich nach Hause will— Through which I—who wish to go home—
Nun schneller und immer schneller schreite! Now ever more quickly stride!

Wie ist die Brust von Glück geschwellt! How my breast swells with happiness!
Mich umgaukelt die lustige Schaar meiner Lieder, The merry crowd of my songs dance around me,
Und ich grüße die Welt, diese herrliche Welt! And I greet the world, this splendid world!
Ich grüße die—morgen seh ich sie wieder! I greet it—tomorrow I’ll see it again!

[From: John Henry Mackay, Gesammelte Werke [N.B. The Campagna is a low plain
(1911) 1: 75] surrounding the city of Rome]