Pièce 39 - Letter from Adela Wodehouse to Elizabeth Trevelyan

Letter with list of works consulted on separate sheet.

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'.

The separate sheet of works consulted was found with and originally numbered as part of 18/40, but is clearly the list referred to in this letter.