1. Autograph Musical Quotation of four bars from the Dream of Gerontius, marked "Mistico / Gerontius" and inscribed with a dedication "To Mr. Ellison van Hoose / with many thanks for a pleasant hour studying the Dream of Gerontius in Hereford, September 1903 / Edward Elgar." Small nicks to edges, else fine. 8 x 10.25 inches (20 x 26 cm).
Ellison van Hoose (1868-1936) was a Tennessee-born tenor, who sang the New York premier of Gerontius. A student in Paris of Jean de Reszke, and in Rome, of Antonio Cotogni, he made his opera debut in Philadelphia with the Damrosch-Ellis Opera Company with whom he toured for two years before moving to England for further studies with Henry Wood, while singing in oratorio and concert. He was assistant artist 1903-05 on a long North America tour of Nellie Melba and in1906/07, he joined Marcella Sembrich on a similar tour. In 1908, he went to Germany, again as a concert singer first (singing at the Leipzig Gewandhaus under Arthur Nikisch), then in opera in Mainz (1909/10). Back to the US again, he was with the Chicago opera in the 1911/12 season (debut role: Manrico), but essentially remained a concert singer.
"The Elgars had taken a house in Hereford for the festival week (5 - 11 September), and Rodewald and Frank Schuster, a wealthy supporter of the arts and friend of the Elgars, were staying them. (P102, The Elgar-Atkins Friendship. E Wulstan Atkins, Newton Abbot: David & Charles. 1984) Alice Elgar's diary entry for 10 September 1903 reads: "Mr and Mrs Grau and Mr and Mrs van Hoose to breakfast. Very pleasant party. Then to Cathedral."
The Dream of Gerontius received its US premiere on 23 March 1903 at The Auditorium, Chicago, conducted by Harrison M. Wild. It was given in New York, conducted by Walter Damrosch three days later. Ellison van Hoose's visit to Elgar in September 1903 was clearly in preparation for his New York performance of Gerontius in November that year. He had most likely sung Gerontius in the first New York performance in March that year.
2. Programme of the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival in Aid of the Funds of The General Hospital, To be held in The Town Hall, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, October 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th, 1900. Signed in blue pencil "Elgar" on the decorative cover. 12 pp. Edges toned, scattered light stains and lacking staples in spine with internal pages thus loose. Very rare. We have traced no signed copies of this historic program having appeared at auction or on the market. The Elgar Birthplace Museum has an expanded souvenir edition of this program which includes Analytical Notes by A. J. Jaeger.
The four-day Festival included: Mendelssohn's Elijah; A miscellaneous concert;The first performance of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius; Sections of Israel and Egypt; Coleridge-Taylor's Song of Hiawatha; JS Bach' St Matthew Passion; Dvorak's The Spectre's Bride; Miscellaneous concert. And the artists included Emma Albani, Marie Brema, Ada Crossle, Clara Butt, Edward Lloyd, Andrew Black, Harry Plunket Greene and David Bispham.
This Festival included, on Wednesday, the disastrous first performance of Gerontius (composed expressly for this Festival), where conductor Hans Richter was unfamiliar with the score, the choir was ill equipped to cope with the work and sang flat, and the tenor (Edward Lloyd) was quite inadequate. Elgar wrote to his friend (and publisher) Jeager after the performance: "I have worked hard for forty years and Providence denies me a decent hearing of my work: so I submit - I always said God was against art and I still believe it."
3. Richter, Hans. (1843-1916). Autograph Signature, "Hans Richter Dirigent der Festival in Bayreuth und Birmingham 88." Small tear to upper edge, else fine.
The Hungarian conductor became associated with Richard Wagner in the 1860s, and played the solo trumpet part in the 1870 private premiere of the Siegfried Idyll. In 1876, he was chosen to conduct the first complete performance of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. In 1877, he assisted the ailing composer as conductor of a major series of Wagner concerts in London, and from then onwards he became a familiar feature of English musical life, appearing at many choral festivals including as principal conductor of the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival (1885-1909) and directing the Hallé Orchestra (1899-1911) and the newly formed London Symphony Orchestra (1904- 1911). In Europe his work was chiefly based in Vienna. He gave much attention to the works of Brahms, Anton Bruckner (who once slipped a coin into his hand after a concert by way of a tip) and Antonín Dvořák (he gave the London and Vienna premieres of the Symphonic Variations); he also continued to work at Bayreuth.
In later years, Richter became a fervent admirer and advocate of Sir Edward Elgar and led the premiere of The Dream of Gerontius. Never afraid to experiment on behalf of the music he loved, he lent his authority to an English-language production of The Ring at Covent Garden (January and February 1909).
4. Brema, Marie. (1856-1925). Autograph Letter referring to her forthcoming performance of The Dream of Gerontius in Sheffield on 30 May, 1904. Together with an autograph inscription and period postcard photograph.
Edward Lloyd sang the role of Gerontius at the premiere of The Dream of Gerontius, close to the end of his career. Edward Lloyd also sang in the first performance of Caractacus and was also the soloist in the first performance of King Olaf, with Ffrangcon Davies at the Hanley Festival. "Edward Lloyd was at the top of his form and Ffrangcon Davies was a fine looking fellow with a mop of curly hair." (Jerrold Northrop Moore - Elgar - A creative Life, p. 216).
6. Plunket Greene, Harry. (1865-1936). Postcard photograph and autograph signature of the Irish baritone most famous in the formal concert and oratorio repertoire. He wrote and lectured on his art, and was active in the field of musical competitions and examinations. Plunket Greene was a friend of Edward Elgar, and appeared in his Malvern Concert Club events. He was the original baritone in the first (October 1900) performance (Birmingham Festival) of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius. In June 1900 Elgar had written to August Jaeger, "he sings both bass bits and won't they suit him. Gosh."
7. Coates, John. (1865-1941) Autograph letter and note from the leading English tenor who sang in opera and oratorio and on the concert platform. His repertoire ranged from Bach and Purcell to contemporary works, and embraced the major heldentenor roles in Richard Wagner's operas. For more than 40 years, with only a four-year interruption for military service during World War I, he overcame the limitations of a voice that was not naturally large by impressing listeners with his intense artistic expression, lively diction, musical versatility and memorable stage presence.
Coates spent some time on the European continent, toured Australia and South Africa in 1912-13 and performed in North America in the 1890s and again in 1925. He performed most often, however, in his native country and became a beloved figure at England's regional music festivals. Elgar's Dream of Gerontius was one of his specialties. After 1921, he limited his performances to the concert stage and recitals, still performing a wide-ranging repertoire, but championing English composers. A dispute with music publishers about royalties clouded his later years. Coates became one of the most popular festival singers in England, singing at the triennial Leeds Festival in 1901 and performing Elgar's Dream of Gerontius at Worcester in 1902, followed by numerous other Elgar works.
8. Kirkby-Lunn, Louise. (1873-1930). Autograph letter and card from the English coloratura contralto (sometimes classified as a dramatic mezzo- soprano) who appeared in many French and Italian operas, but was best known as a Wagnerian. In addition to many appearances at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, she was seen frequently at the Metropolitan Opera, New York in the early years of the 20th century. Alongside her operatic appearances Kirkby Lunn maintained a concert and recital career. In March 1904 she was a principal soloist in the Elgar Festival concerts given at Covent Garden, appearing on the first night with John Coates and David Ffrangcon-Davies in The Dream of Gerontius, and on the second with them and with Agnes Nicholls, Kennerley Rumford and Andrew Black in The Apostles. The part of the Angel in Gerontius became particularly associated with Kirkby Lunn. Two years after the Elgar Festival she performed it with the same colleagues (but for Henry Wood) in Leeds. She sang it under Hans Richter at Birmingham in 1909 with John Coates and Frederic Austin; The Athenaeum remarked, "each, in turn, brought to it an accession of glory".
9. Ffrangçon-Davies, David. (1855-1918). Postcard photograph of the Welsh baritone. "1902...then he plunged into preparing the Coronation Ode for its State performance on 30 June. On 12th he went to Sheffield to rehearse the choir; they received him as a conquering hero. In London two days later he rehearsed the orchestra at Covent Garden. The military band rehearsed their Day part. He took Melba, Kirkby Lunn, Ben Davies, and David Ffrangcon- too Davies through the solo music. The Welsh baritone Ffrangçon-Davies made an immense impression: he was soon to become an intimate friend and another chosen interpreter" (Jerrold Northrop Moore - Edward Elgar - A Creative Life, p. 369) Elgar wrote the preface to his 1907 book "The singing of the future."
10. Bispham, David. (1857-1921). Letters, postcard, telegram, 1901 contract with Theatre Royal Covent Garden, and an invitation to perform at Windsor Castle from the American baritone.
A baritone with the Met from 1896 to 1903, he subsequently became a teacher and collector of opera memorabilia in New York. In 1957, a friend of his made a gift to the Metropolitan Opera Guild and Metropolitan Opera Association to underwrite a larger collection of memorabilia in his name. Most notable here is the Invitation to Windsor Castle - 24 May 1899 for Queen Victoria's 80th birthday. "On 24 May (1899) he [Elgar] had been invited to Windsor by Sir Walter Parratt, Master of the Queen's Musick, to conduct at a concert marking the Queen's eightieth birthday, for which madrigals in praise of the Queen ... had been written by several English composers. Elgar's contribution was "To her beneath whose steadfast star" and his Chanson de Matin and Chanson de Nuit were also played." (Michael Kennedy A Portrait of Elgar, 1968, p. 72)
1. Autograph Musical Quotation of four bars from the Dream of Gerontius, marked "Mistico / Gerontius" and inscribed with a dedication "To Mr. Ellison van Hoose / with many thanks for a pleasant hour studying the Dream of Gerontius in Hereford, September 1903 / Edward Elgar." Small nicks to edges, else fine. 8 x 10.25 inches (20 x 26 cm).
Ellison van Hoose (1868-1936) was a Tennessee-born tenor, who sang the New York premier of Gerontius. A student in Paris of Jean de Reszke, and in Rome, of Antonio Cotogni, he made his opera debut in Philadelphia with the Damrosch-Ellis Opera Company with whom he toured for two years before moving to England for further studies with Henry Wood, while singing in oratorio and concert. He was assistant artist 1903-05 on a long North America tour of Nellie Melba and in1906/07, he joined Marcella Sembrich on a similar tour. In 1908, he went to Germany, again as a concert singer first (singing at the Leipzig Gewandhaus under Arthur Nikisch), then in opera in Mainz (1909/10). Back to the US again, he was with the Chicago opera in the 1911/12 season (debut role: Manrico), but essentially remained a concert singer.
"The Elgars had taken a house in Hereford for the festival week (5 - 11 September), and Rodewald and Frank Schuster, a wealthy supporter of the arts and friend of the Elgars, were staying them. (P102, The Elgar-Atkins Friendship. E Wulstan Atkins, Newton Abbot: David & Charles. 1984) Alice Elgar's diary entry for 10 September 1903 reads: "Mr and Mrs Grau and Mr and Mrs van Hoose to breakfast. Very pleasant party. Then to Cathedral."
The Dream of Gerontius received its US premiere on 23 March 1903 at The Auditorium, Chicago, conducted by Harrison M. Wild. It was given in New York, conducted by Walter Damrosch three days later. Ellison van Hoose's visit to Elgar in September 1903 was clearly in preparation for his New York performance of Gerontius in November that year. He had most likely sung Gerontius in the first New York performance in March that year.
2. Programme of the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival in Aid of the Funds of The General Hospital, To be held in The Town Hall, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, October 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th, 1900. Signed in blue pencil "Elgar" on the decorative cover. 12 pp. Edges toned, scattered light stains and lacking staples in spine with internal pages thus loose. Very rare. We have traced no signed copies of this historic program having appeared at auction or on the market. The Elgar Birthplace Museum has an expanded souvenir edition of this program which includes Analytical Notes by A. J. Jaeger.
The four-day Festival included: Mendelssohn's Elijah; A miscellaneous concert;The first performance of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius; Sections of Israel and Egypt; Coleridge-Taylor's Song of Hiawatha; JS Bach' St Matthew Passion; Dvorak's The Spectre's Bride; Miscellaneous concert. And the artists included Emma Albani, Marie Brema, Ada Crossle, Clara Butt, Edward Lloyd, Andrew Black, Harry Plunket Greene and David Bispham.
This Festival included, on Wednesday, the disastrous first performance of Gerontius (composed expressly for this Festival), where conductor Hans Richter was unfamiliar with the score, the choir was ill equipped to cope with the work and sang flat, and the tenor (Edward Lloyd) was quite inadequate. Elgar wrote to his friend (and publisher) Jeager after the performance: "I have worked hard for forty years and Providence denies me a decent hearing of my work: so I submit - I always said God was against art and I still believe it."
3. Richter, Hans. (1843-1916). Autograph Signature, "Hans Richter Dirigent der Festival in Bayreuth und Birmingham 88." Small tear to upper edge, else fine.
The Hungarian conductor became associated with Richard Wagner in the 1860s, and played the solo trumpet part in the 1870 private premiere of the Siegfried Idyll. In 1876, he was chosen to conduct the first complete performance of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. In 1877, he assisted the ailing composer as conductor of a major series of Wagner concerts in London, and from then onwards he became a familiar feature of English musical life, appearing at many choral festivals including as principal conductor of the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival (1885-1909) and directing the Hallé Orchestra (1899-1911) and the newly formed London Symphony Orchestra (1904- 1911). In Europe his work was chiefly based in Vienna. He gave much attention to the works of Brahms, Anton Bruckner (who once slipped a coin into his hand after a concert by way of a tip) and Antonín Dvořák (he gave the London and Vienna premieres of the Symphonic Variations); he also continued to work at Bayreuth.
In later years, Richter became a fervent admirer and advocate of Sir Edward Elgar and led the premiere of The Dream of Gerontius. Never afraid to experiment on behalf of the music he loved, he lent his authority to an English-language production of The Ring at Covent Garden (January and February 1909).
4. Brema, Marie. (1856-1925). Autograph Letter referring to her forthcoming performance of The Dream of Gerontius in Sheffield on 30 May, 1904. Together with an autograph inscription and period postcard photograph.
Edward Lloyd sang the role of Gerontius at the premiere of The Dream of Gerontius, close to the end of his career. Edward Lloyd also sang in the first performance of Caractacus and was also the soloist in the first performance of King Olaf, with Ffrangcon Davies at the Hanley Festival. "Edward Lloyd was at the top of his form and Ffrangcon Davies was a fine looking fellow with a mop of curly hair." (Jerrold Northrop Moore - Elgar - A creative Life, p. 216).
6. Plunket Greene, Harry. (1865-1936). Postcard photograph and autograph signature of the Irish baritone most famous in the formal concert and oratorio repertoire. He wrote and lectured on his art, and was active in the field of musical competitions and examinations. Plunket Greene was a friend of Edward Elgar, and appeared in his Malvern Concert Club events. He was the original baritone in the first (October 1900) performance (Birmingham Festival) of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius. In June 1900 Elgar had written to August Jaeger, "he sings both bass bits and won't they suit him. Gosh."
7. Coates, John. (1865-1941) Autograph letter and note from the leading English tenor who sang in opera and oratorio and on the concert platform. His repertoire ranged from Bach and Purcell to contemporary works, and embraced the major heldentenor roles in Richard Wagner's operas. For more than 40 years, with only a four-year interruption for military service during World War I, he overcame the limitations of a voice that was not naturally large by impressing listeners with his intense artistic expression, lively diction, musical versatility and memorable stage presence.
Coates spent some time on the European continent, toured Australia and South Africa in 1912-13 and performed in North America in the 1890s and again in 1925. He performed most often, however, in his native country and became a beloved figure at England's regional music festivals. Elgar's Dream of Gerontius was one of his specialties. After 1921, he limited his performances to the concert stage and recitals, still performing a wide-ranging repertoire, but championing English composers. A dispute with music publishers about royalties clouded his later years. Coates became one of the most popular festival singers in England, singing at the triennial Leeds Festival in 1901 and performing Elgar's Dream of Gerontius at Worcester in 1902, followed by numerous other Elgar works.
8. Kirkby-Lunn, Louise. (1873-1930). Autograph letter and card from the English coloratura contralto (sometimes classified as a dramatic mezzo- soprano) who appeared in many French and Italian operas, but was best known as a Wagnerian. In addition to many appearances at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, she was seen frequently at the Metropolitan Opera, New York in the early years of the 20th century. Alongside her operatic appearances Kirkby Lunn maintained a concert and recital career. In March 1904 she was a principal soloist in the Elgar Festival concerts given at Covent Garden, appearing on the first night with John Coates and David Ffrangcon-Davies in The Dream of Gerontius, and on the second with them and with Agnes Nicholls, Kennerley Rumford and Andrew Black in The Apostles. The part of the Angel in Gerontius became particularly associated with Kirkby Lunn. Two years after the Elgar Festival she performed it with the same colleagues (but for Henry Wood) in Leeds. She sang it under Hans Richter at Birmingham in 1909 with John Coates and Frederic Austin; The Athenaeum remarked, "each, in turn, brought to it an accession of glory".
9. Ffrangçon-Davies, David. (1855-1918). Postcard photograph of the Welsh baritone. "1902...then he plunged into preparing the Coronation Ode for its State performance on 30 June. On 12th he went to Sheffield to rehearse the choir; they received him as a conquering hero. In London two days later he rehearsed the orchestra at Covent Garden. The military band rehearsed their Day part. He took Melba, Kirkby Lunn, Ben Davies, and David Ffrangcon- too Davies through the solo music. The Welsh baritone Ffrangçon-Davies made an immense impression: he was soon to become an intimate friend and another chosen interpreter" (Jerrold Northrop Moore - Edward Elgar - A Creative Life, p. 369) Elgar wrote the preface to his 1907 book "The singing of the future."
10. Bispham, David. (1857-1921). Letters, postcard, telegram, 1901 contract with Theatre Royal Covent Garden, and an invitation to perform at Windsor Castle from the American baritone.
A baritone with the Met from 1896 to 1903, he subsequently became a teacher and collector of opera memorabilia in New York. In 1957, a friend of his made a gift to the Metropolitan Opera Guild and Metropolitan Opera Association to underwrite a larger collection of memorabilia in his name. Most notable here is the Invitation to Windsor Castle - 24 May 1899 for Queen Victoria's 80th birthday. "On 24 May (1899) he [Elgar] had been invited to Windsor by Sir Walter Parratt, Master of the Queen's Musick, to conduct at a concert marking the Queen's eightieth birthday, for which madrigals in praise of the Queen ... had been written by several English composers. Elgar's contribution was "To her beneath whose steadfast star" and his Chanson de Matin and Chanson de Nuit were also played." (Michael Kennedy A Portrait of Elgar, 1968, p. 72)