| Description | Correspondence to and from the composer Edward Elgar about the 25th anniversary of "King Olaf" performed by the North Staffordshire District Choral Society.
LAdd/6226: dated 17 February 1921 letter written by John James, Conductor of the North Staffordshire Choral Society, inviting Sir Edward Elgar to conduct their performance of 'King Olaf' in November that year.
LAdd/6227: addenda to previous letter reiterating that he could come to Staffordshire for a rehearsal the Tuesday or Wednesday before the concert or 'it could be later in the week to suit you'.
LAdd/6228: small poster or handbill originally enclosed with the letter advertising the season 1921-22 of the North Staffordshire District Choral Society with the production of 'King Olaf' highlighted.
LAdd/6229: dated 18 February 1921 letter from Elgar to Henry Clayton asking him to write to the North Staffordshire District Choral Society asking to be paid for the concert because '...as usual the good people suggest no fee'.
LAdd/6230: dated 18 February 1921 rough draft, jotting of letter from Elgar's representatives to the North Staffordshire District Choral Society.
LAdd/6231: dated 21 February 1921 letter from Elgar's representatives in reply to the letter of John James highlighting the requirement of a payment of a fee for his services.
LAdd/6232: dated 23 February 1921 reply from Lieutenant S.A. Wood, Honorary General Secretary of the North Staffordshire District Choral Society, to the letter from Elgar's representatives acknowledging the need to pay a fee and offering 15 guineas plus expenses. He offers Elgar accommodation at the home of the society's president and states 'we have no balance in the Bank to draw upon, and all our Choristers are of the working class'.
LAdd/6233: dated 24 February 1921 reply from Elgar's representative's regretting the offer of fifteen guineas stating '...in our opinion Sir Edward would be entitled to be, and that he would be, hurt that so low a value could be set upon his services and attendance at your concert...If you care to make Sir Edward an offer of Fifty Guineas (he to pay all his expenses) we will submit the offer to him for his consideration'.
LAdd/6234: small poster or handbill advertisement of the North Staffordshire District Choral Society season 1921-22, same as LAdd/6228 but titled proof.
LAdd/6235: dated 4 March 1921 reply from Lieutenant S.A. Wood, Honorary General Secretary of the North Staffordshire District Choral Society, to the letter from Elgar's representatives rejecting the society's offer stating '...we regret that this suggestion should be considered from a mercenary point of view alone, which is far from being the case with us. Kindly consider the matter closed; we are not able to increase our offer, and we have informed our President that the suggested visit is now withdrawn..'
LAdd/6236: dated 5 March 1921 letter to Elgar from his representative Henry R. Clayton enclosing correspondence with the North Staffordshire District Choral Society hoping that he acted correctly and stating that '...There must be plenty of money in & around Stoke-on-Trent; & I look upon Lieut. Wood's suggestion as distinctly mean, in spite of his protest that 'the mercenary point of view' is far from the case with them!'. The letter goes on to discuss other business such as a concert at the Albert Hall to celebrate the jubilee of the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Choral Society.
LAdd/6237: dated 8 March 1921 letter from Elgar to Henry Clayton in reply to his letter about the North Staffordshire District Choral Society. Elgar states '...oh those Presidents and people do nothing for the society except lend their homes & think they are helping the cause by boring me to death by making me stay in their dreary houses!'. He goes on to reply to the other matters discussed in Clayton's letter.
LAdd/6238: envelope previously containing the correspondence with the North Staffordshire District Choral Society. |