MS Mus. 1784/1/23

1: f. 1: Eugenie Castle: Choir singer [concert programmes online]: 5 February 1951: Postcard reporting the change of address of Eugenie Castle

2: f. 2: Charles Beardsall: Chappell & Co. Ltd. (Music Publishers): 22 January 1951: Informs Sargent of the publication of three new works to consider for performance

3: ff. 3-4: Rex Coldough: 30 November 1950: Thanks Sargent for his permission to attend a rehearsal, which he enjoyed

4: ff. 5-6: L.W. Roberts: General Secretary, The Croydon Gramophone Society: Undated [1950/51]: Request for Sargent to write an introduction for their syllabus and programmes for the 1950/51 season; provides a list of forthcoming programmes

5: ff. 7-8: John Webb: Music Manager, J.B. Cramer & Co. Ltd.: 9-10 January 1951: Informs Sargent of the publication of two new works to consider for performance

6: f. 9: Patrick: [godson of Sargent?]: Undated [1950/51]: Writes to thanks Sargent for his present

7: f. 10: Peggy Biggs; E. Power Biggs: December 1950: 'Merry Christmas' note with an address in Cambridge, Massachusetts written on the reverse

8: ff. 11-12: Estelle Davis: Welfare Officer, International Refugee Organisation Rehabilitation Centre: 24 February 1950: Reports on the International Refugee Organisation Rehabilitation Centre in Germany; thanks Sargant for his interest in their orchestra and requests a photograph and word of encouragement

9: ff. 13-14: Godfrey Davis: Godfrey Davis Limited [car rental service]: 26-30 January: Correspondence concerning a car accident in which Sargent was involved

10: f. 15: Fred [surname unclear]: The Daily Telegraph: 26 February 1951: Appeal for support for the 1951 Festival of the Newspaper Press Fund

11: f. 16-23: Sadie Gussman: Daily Express: 22 February 1951: Encloses copy of Satchel Club Musical Questionnaire; includes copy of Sargent’s answers concerning the musical education of the young

12: ff. 24-25: Chris [no surname], Daily Express; Arthur Jacobs: Daily Express: 9 December-2 February 1951: Concerning a lunch engagement with Sargent and guests arranged for 8 February

13: ff. 26-35: John Dethick, Bass-Baritone; A.R. Bird, Hon. Sec. Ripley Philharmonic Society: 28 March 1949-15 February 1951: Dethick writes to Sargent to enclose recommendations for his own singing, including a promotional brochure, press review, and complimentary letter from the Ripley Philharmonic Society

14: f. 36: Marjory Deacon: [Amateur composer]: 9 October 1950-17 January 1951: Letters requesting Sargent give his opinion on her music scores and return them

15: f. 37: Margaret Walford Davies: [Widow of composer and educationalist Sir Henry Walford Davies]: 7 February 1951: Concerning Sargent’s proposal to perform a carol by Walford Davies with the Royal Choral Society; refers Sargent to Walford’s nephew John Wilson, who has in his posession all the composer’s manuscripts

16: f. 38: Barbar Kendon: Organising Secretary, London School of Dalcroze Eurhythmics: 22 November 1950: Proposes a demonstration of Dalcroze Eurhythmics in aid of the Musicians’ Benevolent Fund as part of the School’s contribution to the Festival of Britain

17: ff. 39-40: W.D. Evans: [Acquainted with the composer Reginald Sacheverell Coke]: 22 January 1951: Recommends the 3rd Piano Concerto of Reginald Sacheverell Coke and offers to send a score

18: ff. 41-44: John Eggington: Australian Organist: 21 January 1951: Request for Sargent to listen to his recordings; encloses a promotional leaflet and press reviews

19: f. 45: E. Irene Brock: 11 December 1950: Concerning supply of eggs to Sargent

20: f. 46: 18 March 1951: Concerning purchase of a shelter [no context]

21: f. 47: Eric Fenby: Formerly amanuensis to Frederick Delius: 3 January 1951: Request for a pupil to be given an interview for an organising appointment in the Schools Broadcasting Department of the BBC

22: ff. 48-57: ‘Obbie’ [Olive Dorothea Wentworth Fitzwilliam (née Plunket), Countess Fitzwilliam]: 14 December 1950: Telegram thanking Sargent for his letter; informs him Juliet will arrive on Saturday

23: f. 58: Moana Fielding Jones: [Acquaintance from Sydney, Australia]: Request to meet Sargent during the interval of a concert

24: ff. 59-60: George [second name unclear] Fair: 18 January 1951: Request for pianist Lily Kraus to be given the opportunity to play in a concert for the Festival of Britain; enquires whether the BBC Third Programme has shown any interest in ‘The Book with Seven Seals’

25: f. 61: I. Harvey Flack: Medical Doctor: 3 November 1950: Reminds Sargent of earlier request to contribute to a proposed article on the subject ‘How Conductors Keep Fit’ for a popular health magazine to be named ‘Family Doctor’

26: ff. 62-68: Gerald Gentry, Conducting Student, Guildhall School of Music and Drama; Joseph Lewis, Staff Professor, Guildhall School of Music and Drama: 30 November-9 December 1950: Gentry writes to Sargent enclosing concert programme for the Beckenham Orchestra performance at St James’, Beckenham, on 25 November 1950; also includes letter of recommendation from Lewis, his conducting tutor

27: f. 69: Harold Grace: Violinist, conductor: 4 April 1951: Informs Sargent of his new address in London; seeks help to find work

28: f. 70: Leonard Russell: Editor, ‘Go’: 7 March 1951: Writes to enclose a copy of the first edition of the magazine ‘Go’

29: ff. 71-76: J.H. van Gelder: 19 February-2 March 1951: Letters reporting on his activities in America and arranging to meet for lunch

30: ff. 77-78: Harold Grace: Violinist, Conductor: 6 February 1951: Writes to deny Sargent’s suggestion that he exaggerated description of his medical condition in order to gain sympathy

31: f. 79: Kenneth G. Grubb: 6 March 1951: Concerning an engagement on 15 November [no context]

32: ff. 80-82: Gutherie, Tony: 5 March 1951: Request for Sargent to consider conducting performances of a new opera by John Gardner; Sargent expresses interest but cannot do anything about it until 1952

33: f. 83: Colin John Healey; Mrs Healey: [Undated] 1950/51: Announcement of the marriage of their daughter

34: f. 84: Harold [Gray?]: Request for Sargent to conduct the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in Lichfield in September 1951

35: f. 85: Cecil Dorling: The British Musicians Pension Society: 9 December 1950: Concerning Harold Grace who has requested to go to The British Musicians’ Pension Society Rest Home for Musicians

36: ff. 86-87: Philippa Griffith; Beryl Griffith, Mother of Philippa Griffith: 3-7 December 1950: Philippa Griffith writes to thank Sargent for his gift of a parcel of records; Beryl Griffith also encloses a letter of thanks

37: f. 88: John Harvey & Sons Limited [wine merchants]: 30 March 1951: Receipt for an order for 3 bottles of sherry

38: f. 89: Edith Harper: 15 March 1951: Writes in order to return a book belonging to Sargent which was packed up mistakenly at Addington Manor

39: ff. 90-91: J. Babington Hollis: 26 March 1951: Enquiry concerning the teaching of musical sight-reading to children

40: ff. 92-93: H. Alfred [surname unclear]: Musical Director and Conductor of the Rolls-Royce Operatic Society: 6 March 1951: Enquiry concerning the tempo at which ‘Climbing over Rocky Mountains’ from ‘Pirates of the Carribean' should be performed

41: f. 94: Ida Hill: 2 December 1950: Thanks Sargent for the sympathy received on the death of her husband (critic and writer Ralph Hill); invites Sargent to view his music library which is to be sold

42: ff. 95-96: Barbara Holmes: 5 March 1951: Request for permission to attend a rehearsal of the Youth Symphony Orchestra in Keighley on 13 March 1950

43: ff. 97-98: [2 Signatures unclear]: Directors, W. Heffer & Sons Ltd [Publishers and Booksellers]: 3-17 February 1951: Response to an enquiry from Sargent about the Beethoven Gesamtausgabe being produced by Edwards of Michigan; they agree to send two copies of the edition

44: ff. 99-106: [not correspondence]: Hampshire Rural Music School: Seventeenth Annual Report of the Hampshire Rural Music School for year ended 31 July 1951

45: ff. 107-108: Humphrey Ainshelwood: 5 January 1951: Request to attend rehearsals of Promenade Concerts

46: f. 109: Kathleen A. Hoose: Vocal student at the Royal Manchester College of Music: 12 January 1951: Request to attend rehearsals of Promenade Concerts

47: f. 110: Tony Hamilton: 21 January 1951: Request for Sargent to act as referee for his application for a job on the Secretariat of the Council of Europe

48: f. 111: Manfred F. Hebler: 14 January 1951: Writes to express admiration for Sargent’s conducting of Beethoven and requests a picture of Sargent

49: f. 112: Joyce Davis: Secretary to Kenneth Horne: Concerning tickets for Sargent’s forthcoming rehearsals

50: f. 113: Arthur Goring: Lieutenant-Colonel: 29 December 1950: Promotional letter for XLV Pure Devon Honey

51: f. 114: Collette Hart: Undated [1950/51]: Letter to accompany gift given in appreciation of Sargent’s conducting

52: f. 115: [unclear] address suggests Stephen Holland Fox-Strangways, 6th Earl of Ilchester; or his wife Lady Helen Stewart [WwW]: 4 December 1950: Concerning return of a book mislaid at Sargent’s residence

53: f. 116: [unclear]: Amer-Contex (Imports & Exports Ltd.) Canned Hams and Tongues: 30 November 1950: Acknowledgment of Sargent’s order

54: ff. 117-120: D.W. Taylor: Charles Hammond Ltd. [Builders, Decorators, Upholsterers]; Tylee & Co., Solicitors: 26 May-15 December 1950: Correspondence concerning the re-upholstering and re-covering of two Knole settees

55: f. 121: Ivan Colvin: Chairman of the Appeals Committee, Invalid Children’s Aid Association: 2 April 1951: Request for Sargent to be a Member of the Appeals Committee to help organise a Dinner-Dance

56: f. 122: Michael [Jaffi]: Member of the Savile Club: 31 March 1951: Reports on forthcoming trip to Madrid to stay at the Ritz; hopes Sargent’s ‘harpist trouble’ is over

57: f. 123: Anita Haigh Jackson (Sutherland): March 1951: Writes to express her delight at the prospect of Sargent ‘conducting the Toscanini Concert’

58: f. 124: Secretary, Johannesburg Operatic and Dramatic Society: 15 March 1951: Request for Sargent to send a message for inclusion in the souvenir programme for the forthcoming performance of ‘The Mikado’ by The Johannesburg Operatic & Dramatic Society

59: f. 125: Norman Jones: Director, Samuel Jones & Co. Ltd.: 5 December 1950: Responds to an enquiry from Sargent about the production of music gum strip paper

60: f. 126: Rev. Colin C. Kerr: Reverend Prebendary, St. Paul’s Church, Portman Square: 1 February 1951: Request for Sargent to give an address for an Evangelistic Mission in St. Paul’s Church, Portman Square

61: f. 127: Gerard Kelly: President, Royal Academy of Arts: 19 January 1951: Invitation to attend the Annual Dinner of the Royal Academy of Arts on 2 May 1951

62: ff. 128-131: Sir Harold Richard George Kinahan, Admiral; President, Royal Naval College; Suki [no surname] 1-11 December 1950: Correspondence concerning a proposal to produce Dryden’s ‘All for Love’ in the Painted Hall at the Royal Naval College; Sargent writes to Kinehan in support of the proposal; Kinehan explains the difficulty of acoustics in the hall

63: f. 132: Margaret [no surname]: 21 January 1951: Thanks Sargent for his telegram; she is not happy about living in a town in Washington for a year; invites Sargent for a farewell drink

64: f. 133: S.M. Kurshid: Public Relations and Publicity Officer, North Western Railway, Pakistan: 23 January 1951: Informs Sargent ‘Instruments of the Orchestra’ will be shown to Pakistani audiences in the North Western Railway Cinema Car; requests autographs for his Promenade Concert programmes

65: f. 134: E.E. Schubert: Manager, Liber-Southern Limited Music Publishers: 12 March 1951: Recommends Charles Ives’s Symphony No. 2 and offers to provide a score

66: f. 135: B.A. de Nevers: Alfred Lengnick & Co. Ltd: 20 February 1951: Recommends Alwyn’s ‘Festival March' and Rubbra’s ‘Te Deum’

67: f. 136: [forename unclear] Leduc: Alphonse Leduc [Music Publishers]: 18 January 1951: Recommends ‘Chevalier Errant’ by Jacques Ibert

68: f. 137: Kyra Vayne: Soprano: 26 January 1951: Request for audition with Sargent

69: f. 138: Christine Finchett: Director, Liverpool Child Welfare Association, Inc.: 16 February 1951: Request for Sargent to speak at the Annual meeting of the Liverpool Child Welfare Association

70: f. 139: A.M. Harvey: Dartford Hospital Management Committee: 29 November 1950: Encloses a composition by a music student who has been recovering from tuberculosis and requests a message of encouragement from Sargent

71: f. 140: Nicholas Choveaux: Alfred Lengnick & Co. Ltd: 19 January 1951: Proposes new works for performance at the Promenade Concerts: Stanley Bate’s Piano Concerto and Dohnanyi’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and ‘Suite en Valse’

72: ff. 141-144: Bernard Miles, Founder, The Mermaid Theatre; Josephine Wilson: Founder, The Mermaid Theatre: Undated [1951]: Announces the forthcoming performances of ‘Dido and Aeneas’ at the Mermaid Theatre and invites Sargent to subscribe; includes a humorous ‘contract’ of employment between soprano Kirsten Flagstad and the Management

73: f. 145: Edward Morgan: Double bass player: 27 March 1951: Request to play in the orchestra for the forthcoming Doyle Carte Season at the Savoy Theatre

74: f. 146: Roy Manser: Artist: 9 March 1951: Concerning a portrait of Sargent which is to be collected by a Mr. Boyd on behalf of Manser

75: ff. 147-148: Ethel Mills: 28 February 1951: Concerning the whereabouts of two photographs she sent to Sargent for his autograph

76: f. 149: Leon de Mauny: Founder and conductor of the Wellington Symphony Orchestra: 6 February 1951: Request to meet Sargent for advice on return from New Zealand

77: f. 150: Joan Moore: [Wife of Henry Charles Posonby Moore, 10th Earl of Drogheda]: 31 December 1950-: Thanks Sargent for his encouragement after listening to her performance; invites Sargent to meet for lunch

78: ff. 151-152: John Joel: Lynford-Joel Promotions Limited: 12 December 1950: Writes to enclose tickets for a performance by soprano Sara Menkes; encloses promotional concert programme

79: f. 153: Kenneth G. Grubb: Secretary-General, The Hispanic Council and The Luso-Brazilian Council: 8 December 1950: Request for Sargent to meet Argentinian soprano Sara Menkes who is staying in the country; encloses a promotional concert programme

80: f. 154: Euphan McClaren: The Euphan McClaren Theatre School: 20 January 1951: Thanks Sargent for his invitation to see ‘Hiawatha’ and requests three seats

81: ff. 155-156: Margaret H. Nuttall: 17 March 1951: Writes as a Quaker objecting to Sargent’s alleged broadcast comments that ‘only men joining our armed forces love other men and their God’

82: ff. 157-158: National Federation of Music Societies: January 1951: Copy of the Monthly Bulletin of the National Federation of Music Societies (January 1951)

83: ff. 159-160: G. Nel: 4 January 1951: Request to meet with Sargent to discuss ‘the band’s musical repertoire’

84: f. 161: Richard Newton: 14 December 1950: Enquires whether Sargent would prefer him to answer George Holmes’s questions directly, of which one is about harmony textbooks [no context]

85: f. 162: Old Stamfordians Club: 20 March 1951: Postcard with summer programme for the Old Stamfordians Club

86: f. 163: Alan Frank: Oxford University Press: January 1951: Writes to enclose copy of Walton’s ‘Scapino’ Overture

87: ff. 164-173: Cecelia Oldmeadow: 19 November 1950: Writes to enclose a subscription to Sargent’s fund; writes about St Cecelia and provides a synopsis of one of her Sacred Plays which she believes would make a good libretto; also encloses published catalogue of Sacred Plays

88: f. 174: [no name]: 24 January 1951: Copy of letter from Sargent describing Bliss’s Symphony ‘Morning Heroes’ and suggests rehearsal schedule [no context]

89: f. 175: John Parr: Bassoonist: 6 January 1951: Postcard to express his enjoyment at listening to Sargent’s records

90: ff. 176-178: W.H. Parr: 19 January-6 March 1951: Correspondence concerning a copy of ‘Messiah’ dated 1834 which is sent by Parr to Sargent as a gift

91: f. 179: Ernest David Preston: Formerly organist: 5 December 1950: Concerning a performance of ‘Rose of Persia’ at Stamford in 1913; writes about his early life

92: ff. 180-181: Pease [no forename, but gives nickname ‘Pausy’]: 2 March 1951: Reminisces about concerts at Llandudno Pier Pavilion

93: ff. 182-183: Mary Pope: [Describes herself as a ‘very old friend’]: 21 January 1951: Letter of appreciation for a concert conducted by Sargent at the Royal Albert Hall

94: f. 184: Anthony Quayle: Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon: 17 January 1951: Request for Sargent to conduct the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre as part of the Festival of Britain Celebration in Stratford-upon-Avon

95: f. 185: [Gives name as ‘Bibs (Plymouth)’]: 16 December 1950: Reports he is back in London and will attending the concert tomorrow

96: f. 186: Dorothy Pybus: [Friend in Johannesburg]: 15 December 1950: Writes from Johannesburg to report on her work for the National War Memorial Health Foundation; thanks Sargent for his donation

97: ff. 187-188: Josephine Royston: 9 March 1951: Concerning an Australian mutual friend Alex Walker who she claims created imitations of bird sounds for Sargent's records

98: ff. 189-194: Kenneth W. Richmond: Halstead Secondary Modern School: 7 February-16 March 1951: Letters concerning requests for a group of schoolchildren to see a rehearsal

99: ff. 195-196: Fuas Roupinho: 27 March 1951: Thanks Sargent for his autographs; text in Portuguese

100: f. 197: W.R.M. Lamb: Secretary, Royal Academy of Arts: 16 March 1951: Letter to enclose an invitation [missing] for Sargent to attend the Annual Dinner of the Royal Academy of Arts

101: ff. 198-202: R.C. Noel-Johnson: Publications Manager, G. Ricordi & Co. (London) Ltd.: 16 February-19 March 1951: Correspondence concerning the new vocal score of ‘Aida’ concert version; Sargent responds listing some misprints