MS Mus. 1784/1/41

1: f. 1: Peter Laslett: Chairman of the Third Programme Defence Society: 14 April 1957: Request for Sargent to sign a letter protesting against changes to BBC Sound Broadcasting; Sargent refuses owing to being officially connected with the BBC

2: ff. 2-4: Oliver V.D. Lang: Cousin of Sargent: 6-14 March 1957: Writes to enclose brochure [missing] concerning the development of a waterfowl garden at Peakirk, with which Sargent was associated as a child

3: ff. 5-7: [forename unclear] Connely: Imperial Concert Agency Ltd.: 7-22 January 1957: Concerning request for Sargent to conduct at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod 1957; Sargent is unavailable

4: ff. 8-10: Margaret Lambart: Formerly married to Walford Davies: 17-22 January 1957: Appeal for the Charles Dixon Fund to raise money for a retirement gift to express gratitude for Charles Dixon's contribution to music in Wales

5: ff. 11-12: John Laing: 29-31 January 1957: Request for advice on the musical education of his son

6: ff. 13-14: Lady Mala de la Marr: Owner of the company Millenium Productions Ltd.: 3 October-5 November 1957: Request for Sargent's opinion on a cantata she has composed

7: f. 15: Bernard Miles: Mermaid Theatre Trust: 18 [August?] 1957: Appeal for funds to support the Mermaid Theatre, for which a new theatre is being built

8: ff. 16-17: Robert F. Mountain: Moody Chorale: 1-12 June 1957: Request for Sargent to attend a conference to discuss Christian music; Sargent declines

9: ff. 18-19: Carolyn [?]: [Young daughter of friend of Sargent]: 11 April 1957: Requests to meet Sargent at a forthcoming concert; refers to her language lessons, medical treatment and concerts she is attending

10: ff. 20-21: Constance Lee: The British Musicians Sick and Pension Society: 14 February-26 March 1957: Concerning request for interview with Sargent in relation to the British Musicians' Sick and Pension Society

11: ff. 22-24: Albert Mosley: Associated with the Huddersfield Choral Society: 18-19 March 1957: Congratulates Sargent and the Huddersfield Choral Society for a performance of 'Dream of Gerontius' in Liverpool; proposes a performance in London

12: ff. 25-27: William Morland: Chairman, East Sussex and West Kent Choral Festival: 26 February-4 March 1957: Request for Sargent to conduct a Memorial Concert for Dr Effie Wharton; Sargent regrets he is unavailable

13: f. 28: Virginia [no surname]: [friend in Paraguay]: 13 February 1957: Thanks Sargent for his card which was accompanied by a note from Miss Bowes Lyon; reports on social unrest in Paraguay; refers to a house being built in Greenwich

14: ff. 29-30: Alex S. Macdonald: 7 June 1957: Refers to a talk by Sargent at the British Embassy in Moscow, war service with baritone Charles Mott, and the retirement from the bagpipe-trade of Pipe-Major Robert Reid of Glasgow; encloses press cutting of Ian Whyte, conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Sargent has written on the letter 'What is this all about?'

15: ff. 31-38: Sir Humphrey Noble: Chairman, Sinfonia Concert Society: 13-17 August 1957: Concerning the activities of the Sinfonia Concert Society of which Noble is Chairman; encloses programme for the Sinfonia Orchestra Season 1959-60

16: f. 39: [no name]: Headmaster, Magnus Grammar School, Newark: 7 February 1957: Sargent writes to express his annoyance that children are being encouraged to write letters to public figures for information or autographs

17: f. 40: Peter [no surname]: 10 April 1957: Request for Sargent to attend lunch 'at the office'

18: ff. 41-43: Joy C. Newberry: [mother of physically disabled girl]: 1-28 January 1957: Writes to thank Sargent for his gift of a gramophone and records for her family

19: ff. 44-45: [in response to Eric Blom]: Editor, The Observer: 14 March 1957: Letter from Sargent to the editor of the Observer newspaper in response to an article by Eric Blom concerning the performance of new music

20: ff. 46-47: Stella [surname unclear]: 30-31 July 1957: Writes to enclose £26 [no context]; discussion of arrangements for attending a forthcoming concert

21: ff. 48-49: Patrick David de Laszlo: Engineer, company director: 9 September 1959: Letter from Laszlo on behalf of Sargent concerning a request for a patent on the concept of a single pedal control for motor vehicles

22: ff. 50-52: S.K. Quist: Student at E.P.C. Middle Boys School, Keta, Ghana: 8 May-7 August 1957: Request for a signed photograph; Sargent is delighted to receive the first letter received from Ghana since independence

23: f. 53: The Pyrene Company, Limited: 17 June 1957: Certificate of inspection for fire extinguishers at Sargent's residence

24: ff. 54-56: Peter Pears: Tenor: 12 March 1957: Pears expresses dismay at the cuts made to a forthcoming performance of the 'St Matthew Passion' in Liverpool; Sargent states that his version is not new but invites Pears to send an alternative cut version lasting the same length

25: ff. 57-59: Caroline Doctor: The Palantype Reporting Service: 19 February 1957: Request to quote from Sargent's letter of recommendation following their transcription of Sargent's speech at a meeting of the Incorporated Society of Musicians; encloses a leaflet entitled 'Extracts from Letters of Recommendation'

26: ff. 60-81: John Harries: Archdeacon of Northampton, for Peterborough Cathedral Thirteenth Centenary Appeal, Rt. Rev. Noel Charles Christophers, Dean of Peterborough Cathedral, Gerald Nethercoat: Appeals Secretary, British Broadcasting Corporation: 23 November 1956-20 February 1957: Correspondence concerning Sargent's broadcast for the Peterborough Cathedral Thirteenth Centenary Appeal

27: ff. 82-84: Ernest Read: The London Junior and Senior Orchestras Ernest Read Orchestral Concerts for Children orchestral Summer Course: 7 July 1957: Request for Sargent's assistance to help contact their new Patron-in-Chief the Duchess of Kent

28: ff. 85-88: George Richardson: Mansfield Music Club: 15-18 June 1957: Concerning proposal for Sargent to conduct the London Symphony Orchestra in Mansfield

29: ff. 89-110: Andrew Rothstein: Editor, Anglo-Soviet Journal: 20 June-1 August 1957: Concerning request for Sargent to write an article on his recent trip to Russia for the Anglo-Soviet Journal. With a copy of the Anglo-Soviet Journal (Vol. xviii, no. 1, Spring 1957)

30: ff. 111-113: Lady Randall: 15-20 February 1957: Request for Sargent to audition a cellist named Michael Frommer who is unable to find work

31: ff. 114-116: Lady Randall [?]: 21-23 July 1957: Reports on recent illness and the activities of her daughter Stella

32: f. 117: Charles Reid: Author: 13 March 1957: Concerning an interview with the News Chronicle on young conductors

33: ff. 118-119: Karl Russell: Piano builder: 2 February 1957: Reports on personal circumstances; requests financial assistance to begin a writing course

34: ff. 120-121: Jennifer Rice: 12 February 1957: Concerning an audition with Decca for a young conductor named William Llewellyn

35: ff. 123-124: Charles Spinks: Organist, composer: 15 October-5 November: Concerning proposal to compose a suite dedicated to the Duke of Edinburgh to include movements reflecting different aspects of his character

36: ff. 125-127: Margaret Scott: [friend from South Africa]: 1-5 November 1957: Request for Sargent to supply a employment reference if required; requests to meet Sargent when in London37: ff. 128-129: James Stolee: Artist: 1 November 1957: Request to sit for a portrait; Sargent does not have time

38: f. 130: Kathleen R. Barrett: Secretary: 24 August 1957: Seeks secretarial work

39: ff. 131-132: W. Douglas Shillito: 22 August 1957: Writes to enclose press cutting of a letter published in the Daily Telegraph concerning Government funding of orchestras

40: ff. 133-134: H.V. Hodson: The Sunday Times: 24-31 July 1957: Request to write articles for The Sunday Times; Sargent is too busy with the Promenade Concerts

41: ff. 135-136: Harold Shearman: Chairman of the Education Committee, The County Hall, London: 12 August 1957: Request for Sargent to open the Hammersmith County School; Sargent does not have time

42: f. 137: Caroline Hill: Secretary: 8 August 1957: Responds to a request from Sargent's Secretary Sylvia Darley for help with secretarial work

43: ff. 138-140: Dorothy Wood: Hon. Sec. The Henry Wood Concert Society Ltd: 11 June 1957: Request for tickets for the Promenade Concerts

44: ff. 141-143: Elizabeth E. Sherwood: 8 August 1957: Request to attend a rehearsal at Maida Vale

45: ff. 144-146: Bridget [no surname]: 26 January 1957: Recommends a woman named Helena as a part-time musical secretary

46: f. 147: Rosemary [Blick?]: 18 June 1957: Writes to enclose CV to the role of private secretary

47: ff. 148-151: Clare [no surname]: 7 February 1957: Request for Sargent to present prizes at a music festival

48: ff. 152-153: Clare [no surname]: 4 May 1957: Thanks Sargent for offering work as a Secretary; she is unable to work until October

49: ff. 154-155: Cicely Stanhope: Formerly Secretary to Elizabeth Courtauld: 4-13 March 1957: Sargent enquires whether Stanhope has a copy of all the Courtauld-Sargent Concert programmes; he would like to make copies for himself

50: ff. 156-158: Alan Tabelin: Honorary Secretary, Schubert Society of Great Britain: 8 March 1957: Request for Sargent to conduct the Inaugural Concert of the Schubert Society of Great Britain

51: ff. 159-164: John George Charles Henry Alton Alexander Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot, 21st Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford: Hereditary Great Seneschal or Lord High Steward of Ireland: 12-14 February 1957: Writes to enclose leaflet concerning proposal to form a Centre of Music at Ingestre Hall, Stafford; Sargent approves of the scheme

52: ff. 165-166: [not correspondence]: 10-12 May 1957 [dates of performances]: Leaflet for The Earl of Shrewsbury's Opera at Ingestre 10-12 May 1957

53: ff. 167-168: Donald Ibrahím Swann: Composer, musician, and entertainer: 10 Febraury 1957: Encloses a press cutting referring to an incident when Sargent congratulated Swann on stage following his performance in the show 'At the Drop of a Hat'

54: ff. 169-172: John Theodore Cuthbert Moore-Brabazon, 1st Baron Brabazon of Tara: Politician: 18-22 September 1957: Informs Sargent he is trying to acquire the book 'The Other Side of the Story' for Sargent; encloses a copy of a speech on the subject of the Coronation Stone given in the House of Lords

55: ff. 173-175: J. Edward Sieff: President, The Hallé Orchestra: 28 May 1957: Invitation to attend a concert as a tribute to Arturo Toscanini; encloses a programme for the concert

56: ff. 176-177: Anne Tyson: School pupil acquainted with Sargent from an occasion in Gibraltar : 25 March 1957: 'Fan mail'; informs Sargent of her musical interests

57: ff. 178-179: Muriel Lock: Secretary, Tonic Sol-Fa College of Music: 25-26 March 1957: Invitation to attend the Annual Meeting of Members of the Tonic Sol-Fa College of Music; Sargent is unable to attend but congratulates Lock on her work

58: ff. 180-183: Phyllis Thorold: The Opera Players: 23-25 February 1957: Writes to enclose leaflet about a a small touring opera company named 'The Opera Players' and invites Sargent to a performance; he is unavailable

59: ff. 184-185: Aileen M. Voisin: 3 March 1957: Thanks Sargent for his words in the 'Radio Times' concerning the death of her sister

60: f. 186: H.G. Smith: Undated [1957]: Seeks work as valet-dresser or part-time butler

61: ff. 187-188: John Vallier: 24 February 1957: Concerning request for Sargent to perform the Mass in E-flat by Vallier's aunt Alice Verne Bredt; Sargent sends the score to the BBC

62: ff. 189-190: M.A. de Valmalete: Bureau de Concerts Marcel de Valmalète: 6-7 February 1957: Request for Sargent to conduct concertos with Maurice Gendron

63: ff. 191-193: Basil J. Wilson: [music enthusiast]: 1-8 August 1957: Concerning a proposal to form a 'Forgotten Music Association' to promote the performance and recording of the works of lesser-known composers; Sargent believes that it would not be financially practical

64: ff. 194-203: Doris Edmondson: President, The Women's Advertising Club of London: 12-15 August 1957: Concerning request for Sargent to speak at a dinner of 'The Women's Advertising Club of London'; accompanied by a booklet about the Club; Sargent is unavailable