56 Chester Square, S.W. - In reply Mrs Trevelyan for her 'most kind' letter offering help for the "Song" article for "Grove's Dictionary of Music & Musicians": the space allowed for Holland & Belgium is 'very limited', but she hopes to expand her article into a book one day with 'many more examples' so is collecting more material than she can fit in it. Has to 'trace the development of Song from the earliest times to the present day in every European country', and to deal with 'both the folk-song & art-song but only in its secular & monodic... form'. Therefore the copious material available about the 'so-called "Netherland School of Music"' is no use as it is only about polyphonic song. Encloses a list of 'standard works' she has already consulted and found of little use. Has corresponded with Julius Röntgen about his folk songs, who recommended she read van Duyse's 'great collection "Het oude nederlandsche lied"' and a few works of his own which, with some others, she has acquired. Therefore thanks Mrs Trevelyan for offering to lend her others but thinks she has enough folk songs. Does not have many Flemish or Belgian collections, and asks if she could help. Lists eight questions she most wants to answer, mostly about song of the last hundred years, their style, and the use of different languages; several names mentioned. It is 'very difficult to draw the lines between French & Belgian composers'.
56 Chester Square, S.W. - Tells Mrs Trevelyan not to 'trouble much about the Belgian modern songwriters' [when answering her questions for the "Song" article for "Grove's Dictionary of Music & Musicians", see 18/39]: has just remembered she could write to Mrs Speyer, as she is sister of Maurice Kufferath in Belgium who should know about 'rising musicians'. Very interested to hear Mrs Trevelyan will be staying with Julius Röntgen, to whom Ethel Smyth gave her an introduction last autumn; asks her to tell him about the books, including van Duyse, she got on his advice. Asks whether Professor Röntgen himself has composed many 'real songs (Kunstlieder)' and whether they have Dutch or German words. His opinion seemed to be that not many 'good modern characteristically Dutch songs' were being written, with most new songs being more like German ones. Asks Mrs Trevelyan if she could indicate which Dutch songs were considered the best. The British Museum has bought the Closson collection of Belgian songs at her request, so when she recovers [from pleurisy] she can study it there. Hopes she can meet Mrs Trevelyan at some point and thank her in person for her help.
Minley Grange, Farnborough, Hampshire. - Thanks Mrs Trevelyan a 'thousand times' for her help [regarding the "Song" article for "Grove's Dictionary of Music & Musicians", see 18/39]; asks her also to thank Professor Röntgen. Glad to have her opinion on modern Dutch song-writers; a 'great relief' that she had made 'exactly the same conclusions'. Knew Verhulst, Nicolai, and Hol already, but the other names on the list she sent were 'quite new... and [she] hardly liked to trust [her] own judgment'. If she needs to write a separate article on "Wilhelmus van Nassouwe" [the Dutch National anthem", will 'gratefully accept Prof. Rontgen's offer of an introduction to Professor van Duyse' to discuss it. Hopes that if Mrs Trevelyan is passing through London they may manage to meet; she and her husband will return to Chester Square again for a while after 23 April; meanwhile the fresh air is doing her good.