MS Mus. 1784/1/43

1: ff. 1-4: Glenice Halliday: Mezzo-soprano, Carla Rosa Opera Company: 4 December 1957: Request for an audition with Sargent' encloses a photograph of herself as Rosina in 'The Barber of Seville'

2: ff. 5-6: Fred E. Harris: Member of the Royal Choral Society: 5 November 1957: Request for a signed photograph of Sargent on the occasion of reaching 50 years singing with the Royal Choral Society

3: ff. 7-12: Florence Jones: Formerly member of the Royal Choral Society: 7 November 1957-29 April 1958: Personal correspondence with Jones who reports on her life; Sargent sends a birthday present for her 83rd birthday

4: f. 13: John Ireland: 27 January 1958: Congratulates Sargent on his performance of the new Shostakovitch work which he describes as a 'revelation'

5: f. 14: Maurice Jacobson: Composer, pianist, adjudicator and publisher: 9 February 1958: Request for Sargent to send a 'scout' to the first London performance of his setting of Francis Thompson's 'The Hound of Heaven'

6: f. 15-18: Harold Kenyon: Harold Kenyon: 10 November 1957: Request for Sargent to recommend the Principal of Trinity College of Music Dr. Wilfrid Greenhouse Allt for recognition in the honours list; encloses a copy of The Quarterly Record of the Incorporated Association of Organists (October 1957) which includes a transcript of the address given by Allt on becoming President of the Association

7: ff. 19-22: Doris Knight: 29 September-4 October 1957: Concerning request to audition for the Royal Choral Society; Knight is unsuccessful but wishes to audition again

8: ff. 23-25: Gerald E. King: Director of Music, Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartford: 10 October-4 November 1957: Concerning request for Sargent to visit the Britannia Naval College, Dartmouth and give a talk

9: ff. 26-27: John Laing: 19 August 1957: Seeks advice concerning his son's musical education; Sargent provides advice

10: ff. 28-29: Peter Lewin: E.P.S. Lewin & Partners, Authors and Publisher's Agents: 2-4 December 1957: Request for Sargent's cooperation to allow Brian Connell to write his biography; Sargent declines

11: ff. 30-31: A.K. Lawrence: Artist: 24 January 1958: Concerning his proposed portrait of Sargent in the Royal Albert Hall

12: ff. 32-34: Hilary Millington: [unknown to Sargent]: 21 March 1958: Expresses her affection for Sargent and reports she is separating from her husband; encloses donation for the Musicians Benevolent Fund

13: ff. 35-38: William Somervell Mann: Assistant Music Critic, The Times: 30 August- 2 September 1957: Correspondence concerning 'authenticity' in the performance of Handel [follows letter of 7 May 1957]

14: f. 39: John Mosely: 24 December 1957: Concerning a record club project and forthcoming recording with Sargent [no context]

15: ff. 40-43: Daphne Medlycott: 23 December 1957-2 January 1958: Medlycott donates £10 for a Refugee Fund; Sargent acknowledges her 'handsome gift'

16: ff. 44-46: Mala de la Marr: Owner of the company Millenium Productions Ltd.: 27 November-4 December 1957: Correspondence concerning a Cantata by de la Marr; Sargent informs her the whole composition would have to be altered to make it capable of being performed

17: ff. 47-52: Vera Murrill: [Widow of Herbert Murrill], Carolyn Murrill: [Daughter of Herbert and Vera Murrill]: 20-28 November 1957: Correspondence concerning Vera Murrill's plan to marry Anthony Baines; she later changes her mind

18: ff. 53-54: Hilary Munster, Countess of Munster: [Married to Geoffrey William Richard Hugh FitzClarence, 5th Earl of Munster]: 25-31 October 1957: Invitation for Sargent to attend a supper party at the Savoy in the company of Arthur Rubenstein

19: ff. 55-56: Raymond Tobin: Editor, The Music Teacher & Piano Student: November 1957: Request for Sargent's 'strongest musical impression of 1957' for an article in The Music Teacher & Piano Student; Sargent cites a performance in Venezuela and the funeral of Sibelius

20: ff. 57-58: Glibert McAllister: Director, The Educational Group of the Musical Instrument Association: 3-4 December 1957 : Concerning a campaign supported by Sargent to abolish the 60% tax on the purchase of musical instruments

21: f. 59: Helen Stone: Assistant Director, National Froebel Foundation: 21 January 1958: Request for students of a holiday course organised by the Foundation to attend a rehearsal for a Promenade Concert

22: ff. 60-64: H.W. Grigsby: Manager, Book Department, The New Educational Press (Odhams Press Ltd.): 31 January-29 February 1958: Request for Sargent's opinion on the proposed production of a 6 volume reference work for children for which they enclose a booklet; Sargent has no time to give his opinion

23: f. 65: Alex [Nikosi?]: Associated with the BBC Symphony Orchestra: 25 November 1957: Thanks Sargent for arranging a wreath for Sibelius

24: f. 66: Ray G. Owen: 19 February 1958: Thanks Sargent for donating a baton for an official presentation; encloses a donation for the Musicians Benevolent Association

25: ff. 67-74: [not correspondence]: : Promotional brochures for the Gregorian Electronic Organ

26: ff. 75-82: Kathleen O'Brien-Stöckl: [Resident of Johannesburg]: October 1957: Sends Sargent a copy of her 'Peace-Prayer' in the hope he will perform it with choir and orchestra; she has also sent a copy to Bing Crosby for inclusion in a film (but has not received a reply)

27: ff. 83-84: Lily Pavey: 24 January 1958: Request for an appointment with Sargent to discuss her invention of a musical typewriter which she plans to bring on the market; Sargent invites her for an appointment for one hour

28: ff. 85-87: Mrs Chrichton-Maitland, Mr Parrish: [Friends from Sargent's days in Stamford]: 7 May-26 April 1958: Correspondence concerning recordings Sargent sends to Mr Parrish who is incapacitated with illness

29: ff. 88-89: G.J. McDonald: Weatherall, Green & Smith: 29 October 1957: Concerning proposal for a development on the site of the former Queen's Hall

30: ff. 90-91: Pete [no surname]: 21-26 November 1957: Reports he is going to Spain to teach English

31: ff. 92-93: Noël Prentice: Vicar of Statford-upon-Avon, Canon of Coventry: 7 November 1957: Request for permission to use Sargent's name in an appeal for the Collegiate Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon, where Shakespeare is buried

32: f. 94: Dorothy Pybus: [Friend from Johannesburg]: 9 November 1957: Reports on plans for her current holiday in England; she is pleased she arrived in time with a new consignment of cigars

33: ff. 95-98: Dr. Erik Routley: Writer on church music: 1-6 May 1958: Correspondence with Erik Routley concerning the accuracy of metronome markings in the works of Beethoven and other composers; Routley includes a press cutting of his article on the subject

34: ff. 99-100: Julian Webb: Conductor, Cambridge Music Ensemble: 1 May 1958: Request for donation to support a tour of Germany by the Cambridge Chamber Ensemble

35: ff. 101-102: George Karl Russell: Piano builder: 16 December 1957: Russell reports he has written an article on Sir Thomas Beecham to be published in the Leicester Chronicle; he has also been re-installed as a representative of Harrods' piano department

36: ff. 103-104: George Karl Russell: Piano builder: 30 January 1930: Request for financial assistance to clear an electricity bill

37: f. 105: George Varjas: Photographer, Reflex Agency: 10 February 1958: Writes to enclose photographs of Sargent

38: ff. 106-107: Stanley Rubenstein: 7 March 1958: Request for Sargent's opinion on a March he has composed

39: ff. 108-111: J.W. Rowe: Carpenter & Joiner: 29 August 1957: Correspondence concerning the building and alteration of bookcases for Sargent

40: f. 112: Sidney C. Hutchison: Librarian, Royal Academy of Arts: 5 November 1957: Letter of thanks for the loan of a portrait to the Sir Gerald Kelly Exhibition

41: f. 113: E.J. Robertson: 2 December 1957: Sargent writes expressing hope he will be able to visit her and Rob soon; refers to Rob's illness

42: ff. 114-122: Harold Macmillan: Prime Minister, Sir Arthur Bliss: Composer: Lord Mayor of Leeds: 27 February-6 March 1958: Concerning proposal to confer an honour upon soprano Miss Elsie Suddaby for her contribution to music in Britain

43: ff. 123-124: Sidney Tretheway: Hon. Sec. The Schools' Music Association: 31 October-13 September 1957: Request for Sargent to conduct a Festival for the Schools' Music Association in 1959; Sargent is unavailable to conduct

44: ff. 125-126: George Halifax Lumley-Savile, 3rd Baron Savile: Landowner: 28 November-2 December 1957: Correspondence concerning arrangements to meet for a drink

45: ff. 127-129: Philippa Sinclair: 16 December: Requests a loan of £300 to look after her terminally-ill mother for a few months; Sargent requests more information

46: ff. 130-132: Pamela Shipcott: [Aspiring oratorio singer]: 7 January-3 February 1958: Request for an audition with Sargent; Sargent asks for a recommendation from Shipcott's teachers

47: f. 133: Margaret Scott: [friend from South Africa]: 5 December 1957: Thanks Sargent for invitation to meet and suggests dates

48: f. 134: Frank Sheed: Catholic writer, publisher and speaker: Undated [1957/58]: Sargent congratulates Sheed on his book 'Theology and Sanity' and questions him on his understanding of the Virgin Mary

49: f. 135: Rudolf Schwarz: Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra [Sargent's successor in the role]: 3 March 1958: Reports on his contract with HMV, his move to a new house, programmes for the orchestra, and his hope there will not be too many 'casualties' in the orchestra

50: f. 136: Donald Sturtivant: Violinist, BBC Symphony Orchestra; BBC Midland Light Orchestra: 11 March 1958: Sargent writes to express regret that Sturtivant's recovery will not enable him to play the violin again for many years; he offers any support possible

51: f. 137: Countess of Shrewsbury: [Married to John George Charles Henry Alton Alexander Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot, 21st Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford]: 2 December 1957: Sargent congratulates the Countess on the birth of another boy

52: ff. 138-139: [not correspondence]: 13 December 1957-8 March 1958 [date of concerts]: Programme for a series of concerts at Ingestre Hall, Stafford, presented by the Earl of Shrewsbury

53: ff. 140-141: Edith Bird: Chairman of The Victoria League Royal Festival Hall Concert: 3 February 1958: Request for Sargent to conduct The Victoria League Royal Festival Hall Concert; Sargent is unavailable owing to travel abroad

54: ff. 142-144: Jon Vickers: Tenor: 22 October-1 November 1957: Vickers sends a cheque to pay for a deputy at a Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association (SSAFA) concert; Sargent thanks him and returns the cheque as the concert did not take place owing to a 'flu epidemic'; discussion of arrangements for rehearsals for 'Messiah'

55: ff. 145-146: Godfrey Winn: Journalist, writer and actor: Undated [1957/58]: Requests a telephone conversation with Sargent for an article he is writing on education

56: f. 147: R.H.S. Williams: [Music enthusiast]: 26 January 1958: Request for a recording to be made of the 'new Shostakovitch symphony' [No. 11]

57: ff. 148-149: Kostek Wojnarowski: Sculptor: 20 January 1958: Encloses a photograph of a bust offered to Sargent; Sargent declines the offer

58: ff. 150-152: "Dolly": September 1958?-11 August 1962: Threatening letters

59: f. 153: Dorothy Wood: [Daughter of Conductor Henry Wood]: 1 November 1957: Writes to enclose a press cutting from New Zealand in which Sargent's name is mistaken for that of Henry Wood [presumably the same as sent by Louis Daly Irving Austin above]; refers to the Queen's Hall project and poor reviews of BBC Symphony Orchestra performances under Rudolf Schwarz

60: ff. 154-155: Joyce Ward: 26 February 1958: Claims to pass on a message from Handel 'who had been listening to the Philharmonic Concert' and advises on the correct performance of his 'Largo'; [as 'Handel's' suggestions are nonsensical the letter may be intentionally humorous]; copy of Sargent's response

61: ff. 156-183: : 1962-63: Letters of an eccentric or obscure nature, including 'fan mail' from young female admirers and letters from individuals who appear of unsound mind; Sargent's secretaries have removed them from the main series

62: f. 184: Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel Ogilvy, Princess Alexandra, Lady Ogilvy: Member of the Royal Family: 19 March 1962: Thanks Sargent for his Christmas present of a gramophone record

63: f. 185: Charles [surname unclear]: Amateur Fencing Association: 17 October 1962: Seeks advice concerning a rehearsal space for the potential use of orchestras

64: f. 186: W.J. Adams: [Music enthusiast], British Broadcasting Corporation: 17 September 1962: Copy of letter from Adams to the BBC requesting a broadcast performance of 'Les cloches de Corneville'

65: ff. 187-188: Walter Allum: Amateur composer: 6-11 March 1963: Correspondence concerning the time signature of a song setting sent to Sargent for examination

66: f. 189: Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Atlee: Former Prime Minister: 5 January 1963: Thanks for Sargent's congratulations on the occasion of his 80th birthday

67: ff. 190-191: Joan Boyles: 14 August 1963: Encloses handwritten copy of a letter published in the 'Daily Mail' concerning latecomers to the Promenade Concerts

68: ff. 192-193: T.E. Pooley: General Manager, Bedford Hotel, Brighton: 1-19 July 1963: Concerning accounts for Sargent's manservant Oliver Schroder's stay at the Bedford Hotel, Brighton

69: f. 194: [Miss] Ampinoff: Head of the Symphonic and Operatic Department, Boosey and Hawkes Publishers Ltd: 30 October 1962: Concerning the hire of scores for performances in Russia

70: ff. 195-208: John F. Friend: Principal, Bretton Hall: 13 February-11 March 1963: Request for Sargent to attend the formal opening ceremony of new buildings (including a Music School) at Bretton Hall, and encloses a promotional booklet; Sargent regrets he will be unavailable