[Sir Richard Runciman Terry, musicologist and choirmaster at Westminster Cathedral.] Autograph Letter Signed to Dr. W. J. Phillips, with ‘Copy of Testimonial’ in favour of Phillips' application as organist and choirmaster at Salisbury Cathedral.

See Terry’s entry in the Oxford DNB. At the time of writing Dr. W. J. Phillips was the organist at St Barnabas, Pimlico; he was unsuccessful in the present application, but was subsequently organist of the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court. See his entry in Humphreys and Evans, ‘Dictionary of Composers for the Church in Great Britain and Ireland’ (1997). These two items are uniform on a total of three leaves of light paper. Both discoloured and worn, and folded three times. ONE: ALS from Terry to Phillips. 1p, 4to. He is ‘most pleased to have opportunity of supporting’ Phillips’s application. ‘I do hope you are successful, as under poor old South [Charles Frederick South (1850-1916)] the music got into an unsatisfactory state. You deserve a Cathedral post’. He has no ‘Cathedral stationery’ to hand, so is sending Item Two as a copy. ‘If you’ll send me a copy of it when I get back I’ll write it out again on Cathedral paper, in case anyone should want to see the original’. He continues with more encouraging and helpful suggestions, signing ‘R R Terry’. Postscript: ‘I “adjudicated” at Salisbury at a Festival Competition in 1914 (& was going again, but for the war) & came across a lot of the Cathedral set, but am afraid I don’t remember their names well enough.’ TWO: ‘Copy of Testimonial from R. R. Terry, Mus. D (Dunelm), F.R.C.O., Organist & Choirmaster - Westminster Cathedral. Examiner for musical degrees - Birmingham University, & National University of Ireland. Member of Council - Royal College of Organists, & Union of Graduates in Music. Late President - Union of Music Directors in Academy Schools. Late Chairman - Conference of Incorporated Society of Musicians. &c. &c.’ 2pp, 4to. Begins: ‘I feel it a pleasure to support the application of Dr. W. Phillips for the post of Organist & Choirmaster at Salisbury Cathedral. / I regard Dr. Phillips as one of the most talented & efficient of our younger school of English church musicians, with a fine future before him. He is in all respects fitted to undertake musical work of the highest class.’ Discusses Phillips’s qualities as a soloist, accompanist, organist, as well as his personal qualities, with reference to his compositions and choir practices.