Item 4 - Letter from Gordon Bottomley to R. C. Trevelyan

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Well Knowe House, Cartmel, by Carnforth. - Was 'delighted' to received Trevelyan's "Sisyphus" from Longmans the other day; apologises for not writing sooner; was away from home but read the poem 'immediately and eagerly and with huge enjoyment'. Thanks Trevelyan for remembering that he wanted to see it. Praises it highly and says Trevelyan has 'certainly found the most fundamentally comedic idea in the world; the terrible and futile situation of Sisyphus is so much all men's affair'. The fact that 'Grecian things' seem as natural to Trevelyan's thoughts as 'Tube and Hague Tribunals' are to most people today should gain universal respect. Trevelyan knows he can count on Bottomley's interest in his 'quest of a lyrical basis for drama'; thinks Sisyphus is successful in this respect. The work gives 'the musician rare chances': the 'conjuration of time going backward' needs music like the beginning of Beethoven's ninth symphony; thinks Berlioz could have 'heard vaguely the chords to accompany the engulfing of Sisyphus', but could probably not have written them down. Wonders 'what deep force is turning us all so insistently to the drama nowadays', when there is no hope of attention and respect, or even loyal co-operation' from theatre-goers. Glad that Trevelyan is also turning his thoughts towards music-drama; thinks 'fullest expression' is only possible that way; even incidental music like Grieg's "Peer Gynt" gives a 'glimpse of an all powerful mingling of all the arts to make perfect drama possible'. In addition, 'that rebellious artisan, the actor' might be prevented from 'maiming and self-assertion' by the tones which each word of poetry has 'being authoritatively set down for him as definite musical notes. Doubts whether music really could enhance the excellence of the poetry in "Sisyphus", but does still 'feel the beauty of [Trevelyan's] projected union of poetry and music', and would like to hear something of his longer work to which music is now being composed [by Donald Tovey: i.e. the "Bride of Dionysus"].