CONDUCTING

[ Joseph Lewis, senior conductor of the BBC. ] Autograph Letter Signed, a warm letter of condolence to the widow of composer Herman Finck.

Author: 
Joseph Lewis (1878-1954), senior conductor of the BBC and composer [ Herman Finck [ born Hermann Van Der Vinck ] (1872-1939), composer ]
Publication details: 
On his letterhead ('Conductor. | Adjudicator.'), 1 Central Parade, Horley, Surrey. 22 April 1939.
£35.00

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Although '[w]ords at these times seem rather empty things', he feels he must write to express his sympathy on her loss: 'To know dear Herman as I knew him, was to love him - & I am ,mindful of many happy times we had together & many kindnesses he has shown me'. He asks her to be consoled by the fact that Finck 'leaves behind him a fine reputation & a grand record of service'. According to a contemporary account: 'Joseph Lewis, senior conductor of the BBC, was born in Brierly Hill Staffs, in 1878.

[ Herman Finck, composer. ] Nine black and white photographs of Herman Finck, from his papers, ranging from a carte-de-visite of him as a child in Amsterdam (by Hisgen Brothers), to images of him in theatrical settings (one by Langfier Ltd).

Author: 
Herman Finck [ Hermann Van Der Vinck ] (1872-1939), Anglo-Dutch conductor [ Hisgen Brothers, Amsterdam photographers; Langfier Ltd, London photographers ]
Publication details: 
[ Amsterdam (Hisgen Brothers, 128 P. C. Hoofstraat) and London (Langfier Ltd; Central News; Weekly Illustrated) and Nottingham (Nottingham Journal). ] From circa 1878 to the 1930s.
£220.00

Although Finck was an extremely popular and well-connected figure in British musical and theatre circles, the National Portrait Gallery holds no image of him. The nine black and white photographs range in size from 18.5 x 24.5 cm down to the carte-de-visite, which is 10.5 x 6.5 cm. The collection is in fair overall condition, with some creasing and wear, and the corner of the largest photograph repaired on the reverse with archival tape.

[ Francis Collinson, musicologist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Francis M. Collinson'), a letter of condolence to the widow of composer Herman Finck, conveying the 'tributes' to his memory made at a meeting of the Musical Conductors' Association.

Author: 
Francis M. Collinson [ Francis James Montgomery Collinson ] (1898-1984), musical director and musicologist [ Herman Finck [born Hermann Van Der Vinck ] (1872-1939), Anglo-Dutch composer and conductor]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of The Musical Conductors' Association [ London ]. 5 May 1939.
£90.00

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Collinson is named as Honorary Secretary of the Association on the letterhead. He begins by explaining that he has waited until after the previous day's meeting of the Association to write to her, so that he can convey 'the tributes to your late husband's memory which I felt sure would be shown at this gathering of his friends and colleagues'. 'Mr Frederick Austin as chairman referred to the great loss which we all felt in the passing of Herman Finck, and spoke of his great qualities both as a friend and as a musician.

[Raymond Leppard, conductor.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Raymond') to the artist and set designer Yolanda Sonnabend

Author: 
Raymond Leppard (b.1927), English British conductor and harpsichordist [Yolanda Sonnabend (b.1935), theatre designer and artist]
Publication details: 
On his letterhead, 16 Hamilton Terrace, NW8. 24 May 1970.
£35.00

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. He thanks her 'for giving me the wrongly addressed envelope'. He has tried ringing her 'a dozen times' and gives her number for checking. He ends by inviting her to dinner.

Autograph Manuscript musical score, entitled 'À la gigue. | F. W. (1924)', with autograph signature of 'Frank Wright' at the end.

Author: 
Frank Wright (1901-1970), Professor of Brass and Military Band Scoring at the Guildhall School of Music, and editor of 'The Conductor' [brass bands]
Publication details: 
Dated '21st December 1927'.
£100.00

On one side of a leaf of pink printed music paper, roughly 18 x 23.5 cm, removed from an album. Very good on lightly-aged paper. Twenty-one grand staff bars. Signed 'Frank Wright. | 21st. December 1927.' in bottom right-hand corner. According to Newsome ('The Modern Brass Band'), Wright was 'a highly influential figure in the brass band movement'.

Autograph Letter in the third person to the publishers Swan Sonnenschein & Co.

Author: 
Sir Charles Hallé [born in Germany as Carl Halle] (1819-1895), English conductor and pianist
Publication details: 
30 June 1890; Sydney, Australia.
£35.00

12mo, 1 p. Twelve lines of text. Clear and complete. On aged and grubby paper. A formal letter in the third person. He has 'received with surprise the enclosed invoice. [not present] He has given no orders for any copies of the work & must therefore decline to accept the parcel, should it have been sent out to him in Australia.' If it is 'lying at his London house' he will forward it to the firm 'on his return home'.

Autograph signature ('Henry J. Wood') with publicity photo.

Author: 
Sir Henry Wood [Sir Henry Joseph Wood (1869-1944); the proms; Royal Albert Hall]
Publication details: 
Undated, but after his knighthood in 1911.
£56.00

On a leaf (roughly 21.5 x 14) removed from a programme. Grubby, worn and with a central vertical fold. Laid down on a leaf (22 x 18 cm, and ruckled and spotted) removed from an autograph album. The autographed page only carries Wood's photographic portrait (12.5 x 8 cm), captioned 'Sir Henry J. Wood'). Bold signature in bottom right-hand corner of photograph: 'Sincerely yours | Henry J. Wood'.

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