Elgar (Edward)

Two autograph letter signed ('Ed Elgar' and 'Edd Elgar') to his music publisher Alfred Littleton, one reading "We have complained of the piano practising and have some mitigation. I have bought some heavenly m.s. paper and have scored some of the symphony! But I see little signs of its being finished. Do get out a duet arrangement of the two suites soon. I was glad to write the little tune at Edward's suggestion and had no thought of the price! Never mind that. Please take care of the enclosed letters. I send them in case anything should be made public and you might think it worthwhile to say something on my behalf. So far as I am concerned the matter goes no further, but I fear the poor fellow is crazy! I have not been to Bournemouth for ten years and certainly (as I told Mr Godfrey) have never criticised the orchestra"; the second letter says "I have perfected a setting of the words McNaught sent and have sent it to Wardour St. Let me have proofs soon as it takes so long to correct them and get them backward and forward. The setting is of medium difficulty - fit for the big competitions and not too (I hope) disastrously complicated and harsh"; five pages, some yellowing, creasing to the first one,4to and 8vo, Rome, 15 and 27 December 1907; together with a letter to Littleton from Elgar's wife Caroline Alice ('C.A. Elgar'), reading "we feel we must give up our Italian journey. It is of course a very great disappointment and I hoped such great things from the change for Edward - we feel convinced however that we could not undertake it without financial anxiety and the only course is to abandon it", four pages, 8vo, Plas Gwyn, 18 December 1906. (3)