Description
SIR EDWARD ELGAR Autograph Letter Signed.
English composer.
ALS. 2pp with integral blank. Birchwood Lodge, Nr Malvern; Craeg Lea, Wells Road, Malvern. [No date but 1900]. To Kennerley-Rumford (the baritone singer and husband of Clara Butt).
"I shall be delighted to conduct the songs at Lloyd's farewell if such a thing can be permitted! I will write to Vert now and I don't think Richter can object. I should, of course, want to rehearse the orch[estra] but Mrs Kennerley-Rumford need not trouble to think of coming, we have done the songs so often together. Our kindest regards to you both. Always truly yours." With good full signature.
8vo. Approx 8 x 5 inches. Some creasing and browning to head of letter and with a very short tear at top edge not touching text. VG.
Richter is Hans Richter, the Austro-Hungarian conductor, one of Elgar's most fervant admirers. Vert is Nathaniel Vert, Elgar's concert manager. The "songs" are Elgar's celebrated "Sea Pictures". With Edward Elgar himself conducting, Clara Butt (Mrs Kennerley-Rumford) sang a few of the songs from Sea Pictures at the Royal Albert Hall on 12th December 1900 during the farewell concert to mark the retirement of the tenor singer, Edward Lloyd. The following year, Elgar conducted the songs at St George's Hall, Bradford beginning his long collaboration with the soprano, Muriel Foster. There were clearly contractual reasons why Vert and Richter needed to be consulted over the Royal Albert Hall concert on 12th December 1900. Edward Elgar was evidently quite keen to conduct but did not want to step on Richter's toes. In 1904, when Edward Elgar was feted with a festival of his music at Covent Garden, it was Clara Butt, again, who sang Sea Pictures while Richter conducted. The collaboration of Elgar's composition, Clara Butt's performance and the music by the Halle Chorus, with Richter conducting, was considered the pinnacle of the work.
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