Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Arrangements for Donald [Tovey]'s visit to the Trevelyans; is very glad he is going to them, as the excitement over what she begins to think 'is a disastrous "Professorship" [at Edinburgh University]' has made him ill again and nothing is better for him than their 'quiet company'. He has been rushing around, to Edinburgh and then to the Plymouths at Cardiff, and is now back 'looking ill as can be' and 'full of grievances' against her, which is better than Dr Stanford like the last time. He has broken his promise to her not to take up the Professorship until after the German concerts; nobody except 'stupid old Niecks' thought he would take it at once. Is sure he will not practise or take good care of himself; angry at the thought of him being 'entrapped into two lectures' a day except Friday; it 'is in the Tovey blood to allow yourself to be made cheap'. Sigmar told her the music students 'mostly young women, are the worse sort of amateurs'; is sure Donald will tire of it before long; the real misfortune is his endangerment of 'this splendid chance in what is his real field'. Regrets the chances he has already thrown away. Will send a bottle of his new tonic and asks Bessie to give him two doses a day. Wants to Bessie before leaving for her holiday and will try to do so next week; a postscript notes that Donald's symphony is still not rewritten.
Handed in at Los Angeles, California. - Is very sorry, but cannot manage enough music [for the production of Trevelyan's translation of Aeschylus's "Oresteia" by the Cambridge Festival Theatre] in time; will send what he can but advises Trevelyan to use Parry and Stanford where Arundel [Dennis Arundell] does not have time to fill in.
Menu for dinner signed by the Master H. M. Butler, T. P. Pemberton, H. F. Newall, H. F. Stewart, Charles Waldstein, Francis Jenkinson, Sedley Taylor, E. Seymer Thompson, F. C. Burkitt, Charles Villiers Stanford, Edward J. Dent, Alan Gray, Charles Wood, Karl Breul, R. D. Archer-Hind, Oscar Browning, [G. H. Orpen?], and J. E. Nixon.
2 St Margaret's Road [on University of Edinburgh headed notepaper]. - Is sorry not to have written sooner: meant to do so when [Trevelyan's] "Pterodamozels" came but this has taken longer than he expected. The move to the Toveys' new house happened just when Trevelyan's letter about [John] Foulds arrived; Grettie had a collapse due to the strain of the move and is only now recovering. Would be jolly if Trevelyan came to Edinburgh in October. Trevelyan may show Foulds anything of Ariadne ["The Bride of Dionysus"] which may interest him, as long as he first see the parts which are in a final state - 'the big sheets or Raabe's copy'.
Is interested in what he has seen of Foulds' work, though has seen nothing recent: sent an early set of variations on to Röntgen, who was very pleased; Trevelyan should encourage Foulds to send something to the Carnegie people, as their first year's list is very successful, with Vaughan Williams, Bantock, Stanford and Frank Bridges and 'three totally unknown names with them' [Boughton, Howells and ?]: calls it, short of founding orchestras, 'much the best thing that has yet been done for English music.' Grettie liked [Trevelyan's] "Pearl Tree" but since she is still recovering he has not introduced her to the "Pterodamozels" yet: [Austen's] "Emma" 'represents the limit of our joint capacity for satire'. Has discovered Chapman's translation of Homer, and also that with help he can read Homer himself.
The MS. is dated at the end.
The MS. is dated at the end.
There are fourteen parts: two sopranos, four altos, four tenors, and four basses. They were probably written by a professional copyist.
Stamped on the spine, in the spaces between the bands: ‘MUSICAL | COMPOSITION’, ‘STANFORD’, ‘AUTOGRAPH MS.’, ‘1911’. The prefatory note is dated Apr. 1911.
On the spine is stamped: ‘MILTON'S ODE AT A SOLEMN MUSIC, SET BY C. HUBERT H. PARRY.’
'...I. The text in Greek and English; II. The incidental music written by C. V. Stanford'.
146 letters, most of them replies to invitations to dinner, with a few concerning arrangements to stay in rooms in College for the night, sent to the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, or specifically to Henry Montagu Butler, John Walton Capstick, Hugh McLeod Innes, or William Aldis Wright. An original letter of invitation may be found as part of item 65.
Thirteen of the letters concern other matters related to Trinity College business, as described below.
Items 9-11: Blomfield, Sir Arthur William. Asks to use the College Hall for lunch for the Royal Academy Club annual excursion, June 1899
Item 19: Dalzell, Robert Harris Carnwath, 11th Earl of Carnwath. 7 Jan. 1899. Remittance for fees, deducting a fine incurred by his son which should be paid for by the culprit
Item 40: Devonshire, Duke of. Undated. Contribution to the Trinity College, Cambridge Mission Appeal.
Items 61-62: Jebb, Sir Richard Claverhouse. 1896, 1898. Encloses payment for his subscription to the Trinity College Mission and the Cambridge House
Item 84: Parry, Sir Charles Hubert Hastings, 1st Baronet. 1898. Encloses payment for dues
Items 100-101: Sidgwick, Eleanor Mildred. 25 Mar. and 1 May 1899, encloses lists of students and other women from Newnham who would like to attend the Rayleigh lecture
Item 108: Stanton, Vincent Henry. 3 Sept. n.y. Concerning the opening times of the Trinity College Library
Item 123: Webster, Richard Everard, 1st Viscount Alverstone. 19 July 1897. Encloses cheque for subscription.
Item 126: Whitehead, Alfred North. 21 Oct. n.y. To Capstick, asks for questions for the General Question paper
One letter appears to be personal, not Trinity College business: item 90, sent to John William Capstick by Georg Hermann Quincke 15 July 1896, who writes about electric currents, citing articles, and describing his overcrowded laboratory (in German).
Reply to 'Mr Heitland's paper'of 26 October 1891. Argues in defence of his own paper on the issue of the proposal to remove the obligation to study both Greek and Latin in order to take the Previous Examination. Refers to the arguments put forward by those who oppose any enquiry into the matter, including the contention that 'it is impossible to impart literary culture without two ancient languages', and also that the removal of the obligation to study Greek will lead to its abandonment in English schools.
Includes Mr Page as a proponent of the latter argument, which he refutes by pointing to the attitude of a large number of school-masters to the proposed change. Refers to 'the counsels of despair which Mr Bateson propheticaly offers in reference to the training of "Natural Science men" ', in relation to their lack of classical education. Clarifies the statement that 'Previous Examination Greek is comparatively useless' by explaining that what was meant was that 'it does not adequately promote culture....' Also makes reference to Professor Stanford's attitude to the requirement of classical knowledge by candidates for musical degrees.
Admits that he would be happy if 'Grace 1 should be allowed to pass and Grace 2 be non placeted', as he would then 'with a clear conscience avoid a difficult and laborious piece of work....' Amendments in ink.