MS Mus. 277

MS Mus. 277. EDWARD ELGAR: ‘The Dream of Gerontius’; 1898-1900. August Jaeger’s copy of the printed vocal score (Novello, 1900), with proof pages, autograph sketch leaves and other material bound into the volume. Purchased from Otto Haas, 24 Feb. 1998.

ff. i+23 + pp. x+177. 261 x 169mm. Half leather.

1. f. i. Draft text of the title page. Autograph.

2. pp. i-x, 1-177. Published vocal score. Printed, without any annotations.

3. ff. 1-8. Proof pages for the vocal score. The pages show earlier versions of the chorus ‘Go, in the name of Angels and Archangels’ (vocal score, pp. 45-8; ff. 1-2); – two states of p. 149, date-stamped 28 May and 7 June 1900, the first corrected extensively by Jaeger (f. 3); – and the original version of the link into the ‘Angel’s Farewell’, pp. 155-66 (ff. 4-8). ff. 5v-8r reproduced in J. N. Moore, Elgar and his Publishers (Oxford, 1987), vol. 1, pp. 192-7; see also pp. 163-217 for Elgar’s correspondence with Jaeger relating to the proofs, summarised by R. Anderson, Elgar in Manuscript (1990), pp. 51-5.

4. f. 9. ‘Poem’ in Elgar’s hand, beginning ‘Old Jaeger preached (as is his wont) In Nimrodishest way’; dated 29 June 1900. With the first three bars of the ‘Nimrod’ variation written out in clashing keys on the verso, headed ‘Nimrod. revised up to date’. Transcribed in Moore, Elgar and his Publishers, vol. 1, p. 207.

5. ff. 10-22. Sketches for ‘Gerontius’; [1900]. Autograph, in ink and pencil, except for f. 22, in Jaeger’s hand. Most pages are crossed through with ‘K’ (or ‘Koppid’) in red crayon. The sketches correspond to the following pages of the vocal score: f. 10: p. 4 (dated 20 Oct. 1898; originally intended for the ‘Gordon’ Symphony, according to Anderson, Elgar in Manuscript, p. 190); – f. 11: p. 155; – f. 12: p. 2; – f. 15: p. 55; – f. 17: p. 79; – f. 18: p. 31; – f. 19v: [p. 60]; – f. 20: p. 62; – f. 22: p. 65.

6. f. 23. Four-bar motif for five tubas; [15 Nov. 1899]. Autograph, in ink. Preceded by a Biblical quotation (ending ‘... and it was night!’). The theme was originally intended to represent Judas in The Apostles, and subsequently was used as the ‘Angel of the Agony’ motif in The Dream of Gerontius. The passage was enclosed by Elgar with a letter sent to Jaeger on 15 Nov. 1899: the letter and the theme are published in Moore, Elgar and his Publishers, vol. 1, pp. 150-1.

Sir Edward William Elgar, Baronet; OM; composer: Printed vocal score of 'The Dream of Gerontius', with proof pages and autogr. sketches by Sir Edward William Elgar: 1898-1900.

includes:

• ff. 9, 23 Sir Edward William Elgar, Baronet; OM; composer: August Johannes Jaeger, editor and writer on music: Portions of letters to August Johannes Jaeger from Sir Edward William Elgar: [1899]-1900: Autogr.