Harrison (Beatrice & May)

Selection of letters from sisters Beatrice and May Harrison (a cellist and violinist respectively), acclaimed figures on the British musical scene for their pioneering recordings of Delius and Elgar among others, all addressed to Delius himself, highlights including: a letter from Beatrice reading "My mother and I have just come back from America and May tells me you have made some alterations in the Concerto. I should be so very grateful if you would kindly send them to us as soon as possible. How beautiful the work is, there are only about three or four passages that do not sound on the cello, but perhaps you have changed them", three pages, 18 March 1916; in a later letter May writes "We are hard at work with the Concerto and find the changes splendid. It will be most beautiful, there are just one or two passages which I think would perhaps be more effective, but I am studying them in all ways and as soon as I find the best ones, will send them to you", four pages, 28 May 1916; a letter from Beatrice says "I do so adore your Double Concerto, it is perfectly exquisite and how I wish you could be here to criticise and help us, it is so glorious...I fear I have to go to America about 10th October and I now I am going to beg you to write me a piece for cello and orchestra...one loves a thing, it is so easy to pour it out of one's heart and I would so love to take a piece of your soul to America this next season", two pages, 3 August 1916; the following year May writes to Delius "We have just received a telegram form my mother from New York, saying that a copy of the score of your Double is wanted immediately and asking if you would let them have one. I have the score here treasured safely...would you kindly send me a wire to say if it can be sent or not...Music of any kind is contraband now and we should have to get special permission from the Censor if possible. It seems to me rather dangerous to have our beautiful Double crossing the angry seas by itself! But if the Censor permits it, they also send it officially, and so far as possible guarantee its safety", four pages, 25 January 1917; all 8vo, 51 Cornwall Gardens and Wellington Hotel, New York, 1916-1917 (13)

***Delius was inspired to compose the Double Concerto after attending a December 1914 performance of the Hallé Orchestra under conductor Thomas Beecham in Manchester. The concert featured Johannes Brahms's Double Concerto in A minor performed by sisters May and Beatrice Harrison, to whom Delius was introduced after the concert. Delius agreed to write a concerto for the Harrison sisters and began work on the composition by April 1915, frequently consulting them during its creation