MUSICAL

First two letters 1p., 4to; third letter 2pp., 4to. All three signed 'John Cartier'. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. In the last letter he states that he has received the 'envelopes', and has 'distributed them round to various singers and musicians who will eventually, I am sure, be sending you a photograph with best wishes'. He apologises for being unable to invite him to visit: 'You see, this is a very tiny flat and, in fact, I am very seldom here for any length of time as my work means continual journeying from place to place for concerts and shows.

For information on Lester see his obituary in the Independent, 4 July 1993, which states that with his band he 'cheered up England during the blacked-out Forties'. 12pp., 4to. Stapled. In good condition, with light signs of age and wear. Cover text printed in red, with black and white 14.5 x 19 cm photograph of 'Harry Lester and his Hayseeds'. P.3 carries an article on 'Harry Lester', with photograph.

1p., 12mo. In envelope addressed to Giles at Moulsecoombe, Brighton. In good condition, lightly aged. He has looked for Giles's letter 'but cannot – yet – find it. Sorry. I vaguely remember it.' He will find Giles '2 tickets for a Dress Rehearsal if you will let me know which one.' Options of six operas, on six different days are listed, including Figaro and Giovanni.

In the 1940s Guest wrote the lyrics to several songs by the American composer Manning Sherwin (1902-1974), several of them for his comedy 'I'll be your Sweetheart' (1945), but he is not known to have written any music himself. No record has been found of the present item, but it presumably dates from the same period. It is 4pp., 4to. On bifolium of printed music paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with central vertical fold. The title is on the cover: '”Swell” | Lyrics and music by | Val Guest'. There is an illegible name lightly written at top right in another hand.

4pp., 4to. In red ink on bifolium of printed music paper. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper, with a few minor smudges. The song is andante, and the lyrics begin: 'Pierrot, lovesick And out of tune, Took his guitar and sang to the moon. Sang all night With mouth awry, Whilst light clouds drifted across the sky.' Also included is a Post Office Telegram from 'Aunt Margery' to 'Lady Catherine Sackville Fishers gate Withyham', 29 July 1946: 'Terribly disappointed held up missed train by one minute best love'..From the Sackville papers.

10 x 11.5 cm. In good condition, lightly aged. Christmas card with original engraving, signed in pencil, on cover. Addressed to the recipient 'and Colin', the message reads: 'Viele liee Grüsse von Deine Aulikki'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on monogrammed letterhead. In fair condition, lightly aged. The body of the letter is written by a secretary. A useful communication, laying out the requirements for a batchelor's degree in music during Ouseley's tenure as Heather Professor, between 1855 and 1889. Ouseley writes in reply to Le Tenore's letter, setting out what is 'required of Candidates for the degree of Mus. Bac.', beginning with the composition of 'an exercise in 5 real parts, with accompaniments for a quintett [sic] band.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium. Aged and creased, with chipping and closed tears to edges. Engraved title-page states that the work is 'Copyright 2/- net | No. 1 Low Voice | No. 2 Medium Voice'. Inscribed at top left-hand corner of title-page: 'To my friend Sir Courtenay Mansel with kindest regards from | Julius Harrison | Oct. 26th. 1920'. Moore's poem is printed on the reverse of the first leaf, and facing it, on the recto of the second leaf, is the score. On the reverse of the second leaf is a 'Revised List' of 'The Enoch Art Song Library', with the date of issue ('June, 1920.') at bottom left.

In blue ink on one side of 10.5 x 14 cm. leaf torn from autograph album. Good bold signature. Reads: 'With best wishes | to you | & thanks | Paul Robeson | Mar 16/60'.

The two signatories sign on separate sides of a 13.5 x 16.5 cm leaf of faded pink paper torn from an autograph album. In good condition, lightly aged. Schnabel's large firm signature is on the recto: 'Artur Schnabel | 19. X. 1934'. Goossens signs in a large bold hand on the reverse: 'Yours sincerely | Léon Goossens | 1934'. A small photographic portrait of Goossens, cut from a newspaper, has been tipped-in at bottom left, and another party (presumably the recipient) has written the word 'ABERDEEN.' at bottom right.

On 13 x 18 cm leaf of light-pink paper, torn from an autogaph album. Good firm large signature, rising upwards: 'Guila Bustabo.' Nothing else written on either side of the leaf.

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. The whole page is filled in an attractive way, with the three signatures in different styles of handwriting: 'Henry Hellwig.' (in Gothic style, surrounded by flourishes), 'Ferdinand Augustin aus Tirol.' (in a modern cursive hand), 'Wilhelm Schmidt, <?>' (in a German style, the last four words not deciphered). At the foot of the page: 'Signatures of the Alpine Singers | Torquay Jany 17th 1840.'

On 22.5 x 6.5 cm slip of paper, ruled in red and blue. In good condition, lightly aged. Beneath the line of sheet music and the accompanying words 'Unless you can think when the Song is done,' is the good firm signature: 'Alfred J. Caldicott | Mus. Bac Cantab'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The letter begins: 'My dear Johnnie - | I saw you in Marlow Church the Sunday before last & recognised you although when I saw you last you had long curls falling on your shoulders 10 years ago!' He hopes to meet with him if he is still at Marlow when he goes there again. 'Edward stayed here for a week a short time ago.' The letter concludes: 'I often think of my Whitbourne days & Barkie & the good times we had.' From the papers of the Harington baronets of Whitbourne Court. Batson was a student of theology at Oxford in 1881.

The only writing on an 8vo leaf, clearly sent in response to a request for an autograph. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight evidence of mount on reverse. In a large firm hand, reading: 'Yours faithfully | Carrie Tubb Oliveira'. Tubb was principally known for work in oratorio, but sang in opera (Elektra, Hänsel und Gretel etc.) under Sir Thomas Beecham at Covent Garden from 1910. She taught at the Guildhall for more than thirty years from 1930.

On one side of an 11.5 x 17.5 cm page removed from an album, dated 2 March 1934 and headed 'THE NEW ENGLISH SINGERS'. In good condition, lightly aged. To the right of the page are the signatures of 'Dorothy Silk' and 'Nellie Carson' (sopranos), and 'Martin ' and 'Mary Morris'; to the left are those of 'Vernon and 'Cuthbert Kelly' (bass). According to Chapter One of 'The Travel Diaries of Peter Pears, 1936-1978' (1999), titled 'American Tour with the New English Singers (1936)', the ensemble was 'a vocal sextet specializing in Elizabethan madrigals and English folksongs.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight traces of mount adhering at head of reverse of leaf. 40 lines of text. The letter concerns a singing instructor named 'Mr. Arnold' who has offered to teach Mrs Ruskin or a member of her family 'at half fees'. Having been asked his advice Henderson begins: 'It is extremely difficult to give an opinion about the right kind of training required. The Bel Canto singing from the point of voice production is undoubtedly the very best. It means smooth even singing.

On one side of an 11.5 x 17 cm leaf extracted from an album. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Large bold signature, slightly smudged by Menuhin, written diagonally and upwards at the centre of the page. Reads: 'Yehudi Menuhin | Nov. 65, 1934'. On the reverse have been lightly tipped-in two cuttings from magazines.

Printed in black ink on both sides of a 13.5 x 8.5 cm postcard. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Inscription reads: 'To F J Watt. | With best wishes | Tomasini | Feb 29/37'. The inscription is written on the photographic portrait of 'ALFREDO TOMASINI' (head and shoulders shot in suit and tie, looking dreamily upwards), which is captioned: '(Canadian baritone,) for the past nine years has been singing leading roles in the principal Opera Houses of Italy; Covent Garden, London; State Opera Houses of Finland, Latvia, and Estonia; and the Royal Opera House, Malta.

Attractive menu, printed in black and gold, on card bifolium, folding into two 8 x 17 cm. panels, partly detached. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Calligraphic design, with 'Pagani's' printed in gilt on the cover, and the menu itself on the recto of the second leaf, facing some calligraphic flourishes on the verso of the first leaf. The two inscriptions are both in pencil, mainly on the recto of the second leaf but with the second extending somewhat onto the facing page. The upper of the two, signed by 'A. C.

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, on aged, worn and creased paper. Written in a hurried, difficult hand. He begins by saying he was 'just thinking' of him, 'and wondering!' He then invites him to dine the following Sunday in the 'usual way'. He continues: 'No, I didn't write about H. H. . There was a <?> ordinary notices in the D[aily]. T[elegraph]., but by whom written I can't say. I didn't really know enough about him.' He is 'going with Mr. Crawshay to the Elgar performance: it appears the new things are wonderful.

The two letters in good condition, on lightly aged paper. ONE: 2pp., 12mo. He begins by stating that he 'knew Leonard pretty well in the 2nd Life G[uar]ds., he was a good fellow, but rough and wild - he came from Mullingar, my local capital, a good man with a horn but too heavy for a groom'. He could not give Leonard 'a better character than the regiment has done', and if 'his knee is too bad for him to soldier it probably would prevent him being a groom anywhere [...] he occasionally came before me for punishment - and as a fellow countryman I took an interest in him'.

1p., 12mo. On grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Dear Sir | As I am unknown to you further than by Concert on Ap. 28th. may I be permitted to say that I am a Candidate for the Conductorship of the London Phil[harmoni]c. Society and to hope it may prove an acceptable item of news.'

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. Begins: 'Dear Sir | Mr. J. A. Fuller Maitland, who is singing in my little choir is also most kindly helping me by suggesting the right people to sing! & has told me to use his name & send you one of the enclosed lithographed letters which will speak for itself.' She concludes in the hope that he will 'help by singing'.

1p., 4to. On aged and worn paper, with chipping along one edge. He begins: 'Word of the loss of your dear husband reached us some time ago, but I was not able to write you until just now when I received your address from Ralph Hawkes.' He offers his condolences 'on behalf of our whole organisation'. According to Hawkes 'the funeral service was a most impressive one' and 'Mr. Finck was a great figure in the musical world and that he shall be missed a great deal.

Both C. B. Cochran, who promoted her career, and Noel Coward, who wrote 'Poor Little Rich Girl' for her, wrote highly of Delysia and her work. Three items, in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All three in an envelope addressed to Pollock and docketed by him 'Delysia (tour) Contract March 1941'. ONE: Typed Letter Signed from 'Alice Delysia' to Pollock. From her London address, 7 March 1941. 1p., 12mo. She writes that she agrees with his letter and has signed the copy (Item Two below).

1p., 4to. In fair condition, aged and worn. He informs her that Finck was 'a very old friend of mine & my father's. I knew Herman when I was a boy, & had always held his loyal friendship as something to be treasured as a great privilege. When I left for Australia in 1927 a radiogram of good wishes from him came to me at sea, & when I returned two years ago he received me in the same old warm-hearted way, & was the first friend to try to help to get me re-established in London.' He continues in the same vein, describing Finck as 'a great & well-beloved man'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. The recipient's name, at the foot of the last page, has been scored through. The letter begins: 'My dear Friend, | A note from our mutual friend Sawyer received this Evening informs me that he had transmitted to you some enquiries from me on ye. subject of Church Psalmody - & ye.

On 5.5 x 11 cm. slip of paper taken from letter. In fair condition, lightly aged. Closely-cropped, with the lower part of the final flourish of the 'z' in Ganz's name shaved off. Ganz established himself as accompanist to singers including Jenny Lind and Adelina Patti. He became sole conductor of rthe concerts of Henry Wylde's New Philharmonic Society orchestra in 1879, renaming them the following year 'Mr. Ganz's Orchestral Concerts'. He conducted the London premieres of Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique and Liszt's Dante symphony.

Written one above the other on one side of a pink 12mo leaf of paper removed from an album. In fair condition, aged and worn, with small square of tape staining at head, and some light offsetting of ink over Nicholls' signature. Reads: 'Yours sincerely | Ben Davies.' and 'In remembrance of | Agnes Nicholls'.