我梦见自己站在一家瓷器店里，一件件瓷器古董把从地板到远端的天花板间的空隙塞得满满的，以至于稍微动一下肌肉，就会导致几件跌落下来摔成碎片。这样的事情真就发生了，但是没有摔碎的声音，而是一阵令人敬畏的四拍D大调（？）和声，一半大提琴，一半钢片琴。我的手腕把一只明代花瓶从它的基座上碰下来——E降调，所有的弦乐器同时演奏，壮丽、出色、天籁之音。为了再多听些这样的音乐，我故意摔碎了一座牛雕像，然后是一座挤奶女工像，接着是“星期六的孩子”——空气中弥漫着狂欢的弹片，我的头脑里却是超然的平静。啊，如此动听的音乐！一瞥到父亲正在计算打碎东西的总价，笔尖飞快划动着，但是我无法让音乐停下来。我相信只要我能让这音乐成为自己的，就将能成为本世纪最伟大的作曲家。一幅被扔到墙上的巨大的“笑脸骑士”画像引发了一连串砰砰的打击乐。
Dreamt I stood in a china shop so crowded from floor to far-off ceiling with shelves of porcelain antiquities etc. that moving a muscle would cause several to fall and smash to bits. Exactly what happened, but instead of a crashing noise, an august chord rang out, half-cello, half-celeste, D major (?), held for four beats. My wrist knocked a Ming vase affair off its pedestal—E-flat, whole string section, glorious, transcendent, angels wept. Deliberately now, smashed a figurine of an ox for the next note, then a milkmaid, then Saturdays Child—orgy of shrapnel filled the air, divine harmonies my head. Ah, such music! Glimpsed my father totting up the smashed items’ value, nib flashing, but had to keep the music coming. Knew I’d become the greatest composer of the century if I could only make this music mine. A monstrous Laughing Cavalier flung against the wall set off a thumping battery of percussion.引自 西德海姆的来信
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