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Harold Truscott23rd August 1914 - 7th October 1992 |
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Letters 1 - 10 11 – 20 21 – 30 31 – 40 41 – 50 51 – 52 Index
From Hitler To Horticulture:
the letters of Havergal Brian to Harold Truscott
edited and annotated by Guy Rickards
(with additional comments from Malcolm
MacDonald and Margaret Truscott)
Letter #21: addressed
to HT sent from HB dated Oct 28th 1949,
postmarked Harrow, Middx, 1 PM 28 OCT 1949.
[envelope
marked in ink Immediate by HB and in pencil Invitation to spend
Sunday with
him. by HT]
Dear Harold & Margaret
If you can both manage it - will you
come & spend Sunday [added afterwards over the top: (30th)]
with me? Have an early lunch & arrive here say 2pm & spend the
remainder of the day here. Mrs B is going out for the
week end so we can have an uninterrupted talk on all the things you wish to
mention. If you cannot come Sunday - will you please send [here HB writes
lengthways along the margin instead of turning over the page!] me a
telegram tomorrow Saturday? In haste -
Yours
ever
HB.
Letter #22: addressed
to HT sent from HB dated Nov 7th 1949,
postmarked Harrow, Middx, 4 45PM, 7 NOV 1949.
[envelope
marked in pencil Timing Symphonies by HT]
Dear Harold & Margaret
I shall be pleased sometime to hear
the Pf. Sonata. [By this time, HT had composed at least
seven piano sonatas, of which the first three, dating from 1941-2, seem by now
to have been discarded. HT completed his official First, in D flat major, in
1945; the Second was completed in 1947, no. 3 in 1948 with the Fourth finished
on 15th August 1949; it is not clear to which of them reference is being made.]
Just now I have the scores here of all my Symphonies [i.e.
nos. 2-8 (in 1967 renumbered as 1-5, 7 & 8 respectively) & the 'Sinfonia Tragica' (numbered the Sixth in 1967), see note
below] for 'timing' purposes - an obligation to the P. R. S. And, as I write music only in a state of clairvoyance [missing comma]
it happens that I very soon forget what I have written. So, with the earliest
of these Symphonies, I have to study as though written by another composer. I
quite see where I stand & I should not think that any finer Symphonic works
have been written [added afterwards over the top: in the past 50 years]
than my 3rd & 4th. [i.e. nos. 2 &
3] written for large orchestras with pianos & harps.
And the 6th
[i.e. no. 5] - written to a most wonderful poem by Alfred Douglas [missing full stop] Even that I had to study -
but there - I dont [sic] know another approach to a vocal work like
this. I must stop for I've got to pitch into the other symphonies [no
capital letter]. You might let me know if you both are available at home in
the daytime - morning [from here HB writes lengthways along the left-hand
margin] or afternoon for I might call sometime. I make no promise but I
feel I ought to call & see what my youngest son is about.
All
the best to you both from
HB.
[With regard to the symphonies
being looked over, MM comments (occasioned by my speculation to him that the 'Fantastic' Symphony might have been included): 'entirely
wrong ... since (a) it no longer existed as such, (b) seems to have stopped
being considered a 'symphony' as early as 1909, and (c), though numbered 2,
Brian regarded 'The Gothic' as the first of his symphonies
from the time of its inception. In a letter dated 10 January 1923 to Bantock he states "... I am writing my first
symphony". In HB's parlance the phrase 'all my symphonies' invariably
meant 'my Symphonies from The Gothic onward'.
WHY he
decided on calling The Gothic No. 2 is a conundrum: I suppose he sometimes felt
that the continued existence of Fantastic Variations and
Festal Dance needed to be explained by a theoretical
'Symphony No. 1'; or maybe he (or Cranz) felt that for
publicity purposes a composer in his fifties ought to have more than one
symphony to his credit. He stuck with it so long, I suppose, because 'No. 2',
being in print, was a difficult fact to change.' The last paragraph of Letter
#23 would imply that he had 'Prometheus Unbound with him and included it
amongst 'all my symphonies'.
MM comments further: 'HB had signed a contract with Schotts
on 1 April 1949 by which they took over, for hire purposes, the manuscripts of
Symphonies 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 - I use the final numbering - plus Prometheus, Violin Concerto, Tinker's Wedding and Psalm 23. Curiously, though he mentions it in the same context
in this letter, Symphony 3 was was not actually
included in the Schott agreement until 1 January 1958.']
Letter #23: addressed
to HT sent from HB dated Nov 14th 1949,
postmarked Harrow, Middx, 3 45PM, 14 NOV 1949.
Dear Harold & Margaret
Your letter pleased me very much
with the news that you have a chance of performance with your Violin
Sonata. I can only hope you are fortunate with your violinist.
Of course I did not promise to get
over to Upper Norwood but now you tell me your free
day is Thursday & I will keep it in mind & if I do come I will
give you 48 hours notice.
I am still very busy with my scores
- & it is impossible to say much about them without writing a very long
letter. At the moment I am with 'Prometheus' & it
lasts in continuous playing for 4 hours 10 minutes. What a Symphony! Do you
ever hope to hear it? All the best to you both
From
HB
[On the subject of the score of 'Prometheus Unbound' MM remarks: 'It's a great pity HT
wasn't able to visit HB while he was 'busy with his scores' , because then he
might have seen the Prometheus full score! ... This
isn't the place to rehearse all the problems about it, but most of Schotts' skimpy documentation on their dealings with HB
specify 'vocal score' whenever Prometheus is mentioned, and that might have
been what he was 'busy' with in this instance. His estimated timing of '4 hours
10 minutes' is very close to the timing on the vocal score (apparently
contemporary with the writing of it) of 2 hours 11 minutes for Act I and 1 hour
57 minutes for Act II. (On the other hand hand, Schotts must surely have had
the full score, because if it had remained with HB, he wouldn't have needed any
score from Schotts to give a timing from!)'. Letter #24 is also pertinent to
this matter, as MM points out: 'Confirmation that a score of Prometheus,
whether vocal or full, had been sent by and returned to Schotts (i.e. in this
timing exercise, HB wasn't using any score that had remained in his
possession).']
Letter #24: addressed
to HT sent from HB dated Nov 22nd 1949,
postmarked Harrow, Middx, 1PM, 22 NOV 1949.
[envelope
marked in ink Margaret's finger. Prospect for Vln Sonata by HT; the
Sonata
referred to, as in Letter #23, is by
Truscott; it is unclear whether No. 1 in F# minor (1946)
or No. 2 in G# minor (1948-9; completed
on June 15) is meant. Margaret Truscott assures
me that the injury to her finger was not
serious, just inconvenient for a violinist!]
Dear Harold & Margaret
I am sorry to learn about Margarets [no apostrophe] finger - it is fortunate it
is getting better. For this I am very glad. Also, about the prospects of your Violin Sonata, the performance should stimulate & help you.
I have returned all the Scores to
Schott & what lingers in my mind is the uninterrupted loveliness of
'Prometheus' which extends for over four hours - & the Violin
Concerto.
[new line but not new paragraph]
As I had forgotten the work - I baffled myself. I told Mrs
B. that the writing of it seemed beyond any explanation. Its
creation was an unsolved mystery. But I know how it began. When I was
introduced to Mrs Newmarch [i.e. Rosa
Newmarch, friend (and biographer) of Sibelius] in the artists [sic]
room at Queens Hall in Sept 1907 She [HB's capital]
asked what work I was thinking of for the future. I replied Shelley's
'Prometheus'. She said - 'Very ambitious - the greatest poem in the English
language; but, the composer has not yet been born capable of tackling Shelley.'
Living with it gives you a close up [sic] not possible from reading or
reciting it & it seemed to me that Shelley had concentrated all his power
on to the Acts I & II.
[new line but not new paragraph]
Long after I decided it to leave it at end of Act II - I read that
originally 'Prometheus' was in three acts & Shelley extended it to four.
And that explains to me why [why overwritten over another word,
indecipherable] I felt the intensity of his mind lessening after Act II.
All the same the beauty of Shelleys [sic] language remains & in this
chromatic quality - he stands alone amongst poets. My best wishes &
greetings to you both.
HB
Letter #25: Postcard
addressed to HT sent from HB dated Nov 29th 1949,
postmarked Harrow, Middx, 3 45PM, 29 NOV 1949.
Dear H & M
Did you receive from me last
Wednesday an old brochure issued by Cranz? I promised you I
would send it. My reason for writing now is because you usually respond quickly
& because I have not yet received replies to several letters I posted before
yours; on taking up the matter with one of the addressees yesterday, I was
informed that no letter from me had been received. A new experience this, though
there is nothing perfect in an imperfect world. All the best to you both
from
HB
Letter #26: addressed
to HT sent from HB dated Dec 4th 1949,
postmarked Harrow, Middx, 5PM, 4 DEC 1949.
[envelope
marked on reverse in pencil with two passages of unidentified music; the first
three bars treble clef in common time
with three flats, separated by a straight line from the
second, a passage covering two whole and
two part-bars in three bars, no key signature in 12/8 written out for piano]
Dear Harold & Margaret
Thanks for your letter. Apparently
the P.O. has slipped up for which I am sorry - for I always thought it was the
best of the services. The answer to your query about the works originally with Cranz is that the Suites are with Bosworth - the Fugues with Augener &
a number of songs [indecipherable character] are here with me &
likely to remain here.
[new line but not seemingly a new
paragraph] As the symphonies with Schott are still
in mss - I do not think it likely that they will allow them
out for study purpose. [The text here turns overpage but may or may not
constitute a new paragraph] The other works you mention are published and
in the possession of Chesters. I do not know if they allow
scores for study purposes. I should think the best thing for you to do is to
call at Chesters & show them your review in the recently issued Music Survey you wrote. Mr
Gibson is the principal at Chesters & I always find him obliging. How are
you getting on with the 'Gothic'? I do hope Margaret's finger is well again & that you are both
happy. My kindest regards & greetings
to
you both,
Yours
ever
HB
Letter #27: addressed
to HT sent from HB dated Dec 7th 1949,
postmarked Harrow, Middx, 3 45PM, 7 DEC 1949.
[envelope
marked in pencil Prometheus II by H]
Dear Harold & Margaret
Something I ought to supplement a
former letter when I was so intent on 'Prometheus'. I
still think it the most beautiful thing I have written & - the biggest - not
because it occupies a whole day or two evenings, but because of its conception.
I referred to [added afterwards over the top it] being projected by Mrs
Newmarch saying that "no composer was yet born to
handle Shelley"
[in Letter #24 the quote was capable of tackling Shelley]. What preceded
it [added afterwards over the top that] & brought
'Prometheus' to me was - that I had, in 1905/6, an [three
indecipherable letters stuck through] unexpected visit from a young parson.
He had just left Oxford & been ordained. He still
carried the world with him. He had brilliance & keenness in his face, a
quick mind to fathom anything & the most astonishing memory. His name was
C. S. Phillips. Stoke on Trent [unhyphenated by HB]
was renowned for its staff of brilliant curates. I should think Phillips was
the most brilliant they ever had. At that time the novelty in the operatic
world was Puccini. As each work was produced at Covent Garden, Phillips [no apostrophe] mother who was
a subscriber at Covent Garden seasons, used to send for her son & take him
to the opera. When it was over & he returned North he would come to me
& he would play Puccini for a couple of hours, though he had never seen a
note of the opera & had only heard it once. Well - he came to me one day
with his volume of Shelley's works & drew my attention to 'Prometheus.' [the
full stop, clearly marked, is equally clearly a mistake] as a work for me
to think about. His volume of Shelley was unique for the pages were
interspersed with tissues or [the sense seems to demand on here]
which were printed facsimiles of Shelley's Mss. So as things
happen he went away & I also went away, also I lost my library including
the valuable Shelley [HB does not refer here to how he came to acquire
Phillips' book].
When I tried to remember the
publisher of it my memory failed. As I was a member of the Reading Room of the
B. M. [British Museum] I consulted the head
& told him of the Shelley & asked his help. Eventually all the Shelley
publications were consulted but none were like the one I lost. Anyhow I had
then begun to work at it & I could not get all on with it without
thinking of Phillips. So I consulted Crockford [the
famous annual register of clerics of the Church of England, famous particularly
for its unsigned - and occasionally controversial - prefaces] & found
he was Rector of Radley near Oxford. I wrote &
told him that after all I was now swimming with 'Prometheus'. I'm afraid he was
not very keen about it. He was older & his mind had gone in another
direction. Then I saw where read that he had left Radley to take up an
appointment in the Church of England School of Music in Chislehurst.
then one Also Oxford gave him the D. D. degree honour's Course. Then a
book on Hymnology by him came into the office for review
[i.e. at 'Musical Opinion'] & the editor
said - 'As you have no interest in hymnology [no capital H] I shall send
it to an outside reviewer.' I said 'Who is the author?' He replied 'Dr
Phillip's [sic; no comma] the greatest authority in the country on
Hymnology'. Last week 'the Time' [sic] announced his death at some sort
of guild brotherhood so I suppose he remained a bachelor. He died at 66. I
mention all this rigmarole because he was the instigator of 'Prometheus [no
trailing apostrophe] & because if my works ever get a chance you will
hear more of Prometheus [no apostrophes at all] than all the others. My
blessings on you both HB
[MM comments: 'The story about
Rosa Newmarch is new to me. On the other hand, HB had mentioned the importance
of C. S. Phillips for the genesis of Prometheus Unbound in
an important letter to Walter Allum of 10 May 1939, while
actually at work on the score. This is partly quoted in Reg Nettel's
'Havergal Brian: The Man and His Music' (p. 131). (But Reg's citation is
truncated and re-punctuated: the whole passage represented by the last
two-and-a-half lines of his quotation should read: 'As he says, he is no longer
young. When he was he had the Puccini fever - now he hasn't. But he tells me I
taught him all he knows about modern music - I was very pleased at that: he
says he looks out continuously for my name either as writer or composer &
has listened to broadcasts of my things. I was very fond
of him.')
The letter to Truscott however
gives us extra details not in the earlier account (Phillips' mother; the
special volume of Shelley) ... we don't know how HB acquired Phillip's Shelley:
but the implication may be that he loaned or presented his copy to HB as an
incentive to compose Prometheus Unbound.'
Letter #28: addressed
to HT sent from HB dated Dec 12th 1949,
postmarked Harrow, Middx, 3 45 PM 12 DEC 1949.
[envelope
marked in pencil Man-trap & spring guns - Keep out and mind Your own
business. by HT. Unusually, HB
numbered the pages of this letter; there are four in all on
two sheets of his usual blue writing
paper. The first page is unnumbered, thereafter the pages are numbered 2, 8 (presumably a
very looped '3'), 4]
Dear Harold & Margaret
Thanks for letter the enclosure is a
fine bit of original thinking. I am sending it to a man in Tonbridge who used
to be very keen in such things. Perhaps he isnt [sic] now because he is
older.
I write to you - just as the mood
goes & because for the time being the muse has left me [at this time HB
would have been involved with the opera 'Turandot'].
Otherwise when she is here, I do not write letters & even the garden lapses. You should send a copy of that Concert Analysis [it is not clear if this is the same as
the enclosure mentioned in paragraph 1] to the man you talk of on
the Radio Times. I havent [sic] seen the Radio
Times for months though it is coming here now because Mrs
Brian has bought a Radio, on her own, because she says she
'cant [sic] do without it in winter'. I have no use for such - it is too
unreliable [missing full stop] About the 'Gothic'.
It seems a pity to give it up when you have had it so long - I should ask for
an extension & finish it. If, when your analysis is complete, it is of the
quality of that you send today - it cannot fail to attract serious
attention. So - do it.
Since I've had a spell of lying
fallow - I've read a tremendous lot - much of it new. It all goes to prove,
that humanity does not alter. If you can get a glimpse of 'Amateur
Gardening' for Nov 29 - you will find a long letter from me on my childhood and
Chrysanthemum culture. [It is unclear if a new
paragraph is intended here] I could read (& understand) at the age of 6 as I surely could at 12. I remember things of that time
5/6 very vividly. For a long time I had been curious about a wood which was at
the top distant part of a ploughed field. One day I walked up the furrows to
the wood & saw a big board nailed up on a tree at the edge of the wood. It
said
Beware
of man traps
& spring guns.
I quickened my retreat & ran
home. When my father came in. [full stop seems to be a mistake here] I ask
told him & asked what it meant. He said - 'It means Keep out & mind
your own business! [no closing quote mark but this is clearly the end of
HB's father's response] Going through life I've told that childhood
experience & doubtless been disbelieved.
During the last few days I have been
rereading Heine's 'Uber Deutschland' and behold - he says
the same thing as I mention above & that the very same notice was to be found
nailed up on the fringe of German princely gardens. I dont [sic] suppose
that the game keeper [sic] who knocked up the notice I saw was aware
that German gamekeepers & gardeners did exactly the same thing.
So the world wags.
My best wishes to you both, & I
hope you have good fires to keep you warm & will spend a happy Xmas
Always
from
HB
Letter #29: addressed
to HT sent from HB dated Dec 21st 1949,
postmarked Harrow, Middx, (no time) 21 DEC
1949.
[envelope
marked in pencil Pfitzner, etc. by HT]
Dear Harold & Margaret,
Many thanks for your letter &
enclosures - the journals are most interesting - criticism fresh & new
& the Pfitzner well done. I dont [sic] know his
work - I did read through one of his operas - the one preceding Palestrina [no quote marks] - but it is some years
ago & I've but a vague impression of it. About that time his 'Palestrina'
was much discussed & there was 'Mona Lisa' by Max
Schillings & various operas by Schreker. I used to
receive criticism (from Berlin, from a young writer who was
attached to Schreker as you are to Schubert. [There is
no corresponding closing parenthesis; here is probably as good a place to
assume it as any!] Curiously enough all this kind of thing was changed
under the Hitler regime. I believe Schreker committed
suicide. Then one day I was surprised by a strange voice on the telephone - it
was the young writer from Berlin. He had fled to England. I arranged to meet
him in the foyer of the 'Daily Telegraph' Office
& [added afterwards, over the top when I met him] he had 10/- [i.e.
50 pence] in his pocket, all that he was allowed to bring out of Germany.
He suffered privation. (His father was Minister for Health of Berlin) [no
full stop] Anyhow, he remained in England & became naturalized &
the last I heard of him (some years ago) he was assistant editor of one of the London suburban added afterwards, over the top weekly]
papers. I think the last 15 years or so was disastrous for those German
composers who were not in such a strong position as Strauss.
My glimpses of Pfitzner came through
side channels in reading lives of Mahler & of August
Stradal - Liszt's last favourite pupil [August Stradal
(1860-1930), Bohemian composer (also a pupil of Bruckner)
and pianist; as the latter toured in the UK - HB may well have seen him play].
I have heard nothing further since you were here about the
Cranz debacle. I did have several letters from the official Secretary
and also the P. R. S. [Performing Rights Society] &
since then [overwritten by that with time added afterwards,
over the top] there is complete silence.
......... [Double line probably inserted later to
denote change of paragraph]
I could tell you some extraordinary
things about the memory. My grandmother (Brian) lived
into the region of 90. She was a tall spare lady & who walked briskly right
up to her death. When she was long past 80 she used to put on her bonnet &
shawl & disappear. Her daughters knew where to find her. At that age she
walked 31/2 miles to the spot where the farmhouse in
which she was born had stood & where she had spent her childhood. Her
daughters (also old women) had to tramp the 31/2 miles where they
would find the old granny staring sorrowfully at a great coal pit refuse heap -
which smothered what had been her [added afterwards, over the top home]
farm. The pit itself had been closed for over half a century & the old lady
must have known it in operation. But at that great age she was only conscious
of her childhoods [sic] farmhouse - not of what had happened since -
& she wanted to 'go home'.
......... [Double line inserted to denote change of
paragraph, but there is a clearly defined space anyway]
I am glad you will continue with the
Gothic - I did not have any fears of you not doing so - only,
of the prevention of your work through other things intervening. I hope that
you & Margaret will be able to come here in the New
Year & spend a few hours - but to get here earlier. You must get up earlier
- it is no use lying in bed playing at tiddlywinks. Anyhow I hope you will both
enjoy your Xmas brake [sic; as MM suggests possibly a
word-play - i.e. a brake upon HT's activities occasioned by Christmas]
& so does Mrs
B. So all good wishes from
Yours
Ever
HB
[Music
Survey may be the journal referred to in paragraph 1, although Letter #32 below
would seem to contradict this; more likely it is Tempo,
which contained a Pfitzner obituary by HT that year (the first of his many
contributions to this journal). As for Schreker's supposed suicide, this
is not true. Schreker (1878-1934) suffered a stroke in December 1933 and died,
still in Berlin, the following March. His hounding from office by the Nazis that year, first from the Hochschule fur Musik and then
the Prussian Academy, no doubt advanced his decline in health.]
Letter #30: addressed
to HT sent from HB dated Jan 8th 1950,
postmarked Harrow, Middx, 5PM 8 JAN 1950.
[envelope
marked in pencil Wood - testimonial -
Schreker
underneath orchestra. by HT]
Dear Margaret & Harold,
Thanks for your letter, interesting
contents & good wishes - though, as far as Cranz is
concerned - I've heard nothing since the information I gave you. Apart from Hindemith & the several Austrian (Vienna)
composers no new music from Germany has been performed. Since the Queens [no
apostrophe] Hall ceased to function - new music is the perogative of the B. B. C. I have heard one work (orchestral) by Schrecker [sic;
Schreker is clearly meant; HB correctly spelled the name
in Letter #29] played at a Queen's Hall Symphony Concert under Wood. When I lived in Brighton I received
a letter from Wood's orchestral librarian, stating that a testimonial of
appreciation in form of a book was to be presented to Wood in recognition of
his encouragement of British composers & would I call to sign it at Q. H.
when in London. Actually I went specially for that purpose
- it happened to be the day of a Symphony Concert & the novelty by
Schrecker. After I had signed the book, I asked for a permit to go inside for
the concert which was then on. I was told the hall was sold out. So I heard
Schrecker from underneath the orchestra.
I hope you will can both come
over here on Sunday Jany [i.e. January, HB's birthday] 29 as soon as you
like after 2. Kindly drop me a line & say if 'yes' or 'no'. All good wishes
to you both from us for 1950
Yours
Ever
HB