The Origin and Development of Eurythmy 1923–1925

GA 277d — 12 October 1924, Hamburg

Eurythmy Performance

From a letter from Marie Steiner to Rudolf Steiner, Hamburg, October 12, 1924

Dear E.,

This was probably the most brilliant performance of the tour. The house was sold out; it is very large and has been spruced up much more beautifully since the war. The carpet, for example, was so beautiful that all our colors and lighting looked twice as beautiful as usual. Everything went smoothly, and the members didn't do anything stupid. Werbeck worked very hard and made us very aware of this, but everything also worked perfectly. Opponents did not make a move.

Mrs. Hemsoth is very kind and very happy that everything is working out. So everything would be fine at the moment if it weren't for the worry about you and the thought that you have to endure so much pain because you have torn yourself apart for the people. Münch and Räther have both written to me. They are very shaken, but want to work even harder. They do not believe that they can still get rid of the Philharmonic Hall and want to try to organize other events. They are also asking me to give the language course in addition to the eurythmy performances. I really don't know whether I should do that, because in addition to the two public performances, there are to be two internal performances, and these place heavy demands on the vocal forces. I have to rehearse the second public performance with the Oberon scenes and a new Mörike in the first part almost from scratch, and I have to speak the somewhat bumpy German Shakespeare text myself during rehearsals to make sure it goes smoothly. But such mass courses with so many awful voices sap my strength.

When I sent you the Reclam sheets for the Titania scene the other day, I left out the last one. I am now enclosing it with this letter. It is the conclusion of that scene, which is unlikely to be considered for now: Titania, the elves, and Zettel.

We will also give an internal performance in Hamburg on October 21, on the way back from Lübeck, at the Kammerspiel Theater, at 5 p.m., with two rehearsals on the 20th and 21st at 8 a.m. This is the less attractive theater where we were the first time.

From a letter from Rudolf Steiner to Marie Steiner, Dornach, October 12, 1924

M. l. M. Now I have found another Steffen poem that has become half solo, half group; I think that, in any case, it could have a very unique effect on stage.

From a letter from Rudolf Steiner to Marie Steiner, Dornach, October 13, 1924

M. l. M.

Now I don't know if what I've done about Oberon-Titania will satisfy you to some extent; I have made every effort; but it is difficult to supplement something like this from the middle when the “before” and “after” are not quite alive in the soul. But perhaps something beautiful has come out of it; stylistically, it certainly seems to me to be so. So I have also done the scene on p. 31 with the note.

I really enjoyed doing the things from Steffen that I did. I don't think anything would have turned out differently if I had assumed that you would do them all here first; I assumed that for most of them. Because where would you find the time and energy to practice things on the trip? I just thought you might need one or the other to correct the program. Basically, there is only one correct form for a poem.

But now the telegrams about the wonderful successes have arrived – Hamburg in particular seems to have been extraordinary. I am so glad that the energy, effort, and health that has been put into this is at least taking root in people's hearts.

Mrs. Wegman sends her warm regards; she was so delighted with the success.