MS Mus. 1929/1

Letters of eminent musicians compiled by the composer and organist Archibald Martin Henderson (1879–1957): letters from correspondents with surnames A- to K-.

• Daniel AUBER (1782 –1871) to Louis-Benoît-Alphonse Révial, mid 19^th century.
• Jelly d’ARANYI (1893–1966) to A. M. Henderson, date unknown but written at Jesmond Dene House, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
• Sir Edward BAIRSTOW (1874–1946), probably to A. M. Henderson, 22^nd August 1919.
• Thomas BENNETT (c. 1780–1848) at Chichester to Mr. Sainsbury of Bell’s Buildings, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street, London, regarding an entry about him in a musical directory. 11^th December 1820.
• W. T. BEST (1826–1897) to James Cuthbert Hadden, 10^th May 1882, regarding the dynamics of the chorus ‘Glory to God’ in G. F. Handel’s Messiah. ‘Nothing is in worse taste than to attempt “word-painting” in music … the miserable editors are perpetually making alternate marks for “shouting” and “whispering” when peace (pp) or light (ff) occur: - anything after sundown must be whispered, on principles probably connected with burglary.’ With transcription and biographical note by Henderson.
• Leonard BORWICK (1868–1925) to A. M. Henderson, undated (year unknown; early 20^th century). With transcription and biographical note by Henderson.
• Sir Frederick BRIDGE (1844–1924) to A. M. Henderson, 16^th March (year unknown; early 20^th century)
• Joseph C. BRIDGE (1853–1929) of Upper Lattimore Road, St. Albans, to A. M. Henderson, 21^st April (year unknown; early 20th century).
• Dr. Ernest BULLOCK (1890–1979) to A. M. Henderson, 13^th February 1929.
• Edmund T. CHIPP (1823–1886) to an unknown recipient, 22^nd December 1866, with reference to a reference book by a ‘Mr. Farmer’ and George Cooper, both father and son. With transcription and biographical note by Henderson.
• Edmund T. CHIPP to a Mr. Simpson, 28^th November 1875. With reference to Mr. Hirst (probably Samuel Copley Hirst) in Dundee and Mary Goodwin, daughter of the Bishop of Carlisle.
• Frederick CORDER (1852–1932), probably to A. M. Henderson, with reference to his son (born 14^th December 1880) and the Society of British Composers.
• Transcript of a letter from Frederick COWEN (1852–1935) to A. M. Henderson’s wife Mrs. Henderson, 22^nd August 1932. With a proposed foreword to her book ‘Speech and Song’. The original letter is not present.
• Frederick COWEN to A. M. Henderson’s wife Mrs. Henderson, 26^th November 1933. With a biographical note.
• Edward DENT (1876–1957) writing from Cambridge to W. L. Luttman, 27^th April 1905.
• Edward DENT writing from Berlin to A. M. Henderson, 6^th December 1926. With reference to the International Society for Contemporary Music. Accompanied by franked envelope and 25-pfennig stamp depicting J. W. Goethe (Michel Catalogue no. 393).
• Jean Roger-DUCASSE (1873–1954) to an unknown recipient, 25^th June 1921. With reference to a Mr. Scott and the Bordeaux electric tramway.
• Thomas Frederick DUNHILL (1877–1946) to an unknown recipient, probably A. M. Henderson, certainly an organist, 11^th April 1915.
• A flyer advertising a piano recital by Thomas FIELDEN at the Wigmore Hall, 3^rd June 1924. This was originally filed next to the flyer for James Friskin’s recital (see below).
• Muriel FOSTER (Goetz) (1877–1937) to A. M. Henderson, year unknown but shortly after a visit to Peebles.
• James FRISKIN (1886–1967) to A. M. Henderson, with reference to Henry Cowell and Erik Chisholm. The newspaper clipping referred to in the letter is not present.
• James FRISKIN to Polly Henderson (A. M. Henderson’s wife), 14^th – 21^st April 1956. With reference to Erik Chisholm and Friskin’s wife Rebecca (née Clarke). With flyer for a piano recital by Friskin in the Town Hall of New York, 7^th March 1956, along with the original franked envelope and five three-cent United States postage stamps depicting Liberty.
• Eugène GIGOUT (1844–1925) to A. M. Henderson, 25^th January 1921. With franked envelope bearing a 25-centime stamp of the French Republic.
• Eugène GIGOUT to A. M. Henderson, 7^th May 1921, inviting him and his wife to meet at the organ-loft of the church of Saint-Augustin in Paris. With typewritten transcription.
• Eugène GIGOUT’s card, with a note to A. M. Henderson date 19^th October 1921.
• Two bibliographies of musical works by Eugène GIGOUT, one (annotated by Gigout) dated January 1908, the other taken from the newsletter (vol. 3, no. 10, October- December 1908) of the Association des Anciens Élèves de l’École de Musique classique (Society of alumni of Niedermeyer’s School of Classical Music, now the École Niedermeyer). With a biographical note by Henderson: ‘It was my privilege to enjoy the friendship of this admirable organist, and charming old gentleman for some years.’
• Sir John GOSS (1800–1880) to Vernon Slatey Houser of Rochdale, 6^th June 1876, regarding a reproduction of Goss’s hymn-tune ‘Praise my soul, the King of Heaven’. With reference to Arthur Sullivan (specifically to Sullivan’s harmonisation of that tune) and Lady Victoria Evans-Freke. With a type-written transcription and biographical note by Henderson.
• Julius HARRISON (1885–1963) to A. M. Henderson, 30^th August 1931, with reference to Geoffrey Dunn and a possible production of W. A. Mozart’s opera ‘Bastien und Bastienne.’ ‘Everything depends on the funny dialogue! A stodgy old academic translation would kill it stone dead.’
• Julius HARRISON to A. M. Henderson, 15^th November 1939, with reference to a Ronald known to both between 1920 and 1923. ‘I hope everything flourishes with you, despite this horrible war.’
• Edward John HOPKINS (1818–1901) to a Mr. Richardson. Undated (late 19^th century)
• John IRELAND (1879–1962) to A. M. Henderson, 16^th August 1919. Only a typed transcript by Henderson is present; the original letter was not present at acquisition by the British Library.
• Natalie or Natalia JANOTHA (1856–1932) to an unknown recipient, 28^th October 1889, regarding an imminent musical to Scotland. With reference to the use of a Steinway piano unmarked by the name of the firm, and to a Mr. Shelby.
• Charles Herbert KITSON (1874–1944) probably to A. M. Henderson, 14^th August 1924.
• Charles Herbert KITSON to A. M. Henderson, 5^th November 1929. With original envelope.