Beschreibung:

Elgar (Edward, 1857-1934). English composer. Signed score of The Dream of Gerontius, ‘Novello’s Original Octavo Edition’, London, 1900, signed vertically on the title, ‘Edward Elgar / Middlesbrough / Ap[ril] 22 1903’, modern half buckram over marbled boards, gilt-titled spine, 8vo, together with an autograph postcard from Alice Elgar (1848-1920, poet and wife of Edward Elgar), Middlesbrough, Thursday [April or May] 1903, to T. Hornung, written in pencil and signed ‘C A Elgar’, announcing that both she and her husband ‘… are so very sorry that we missed saying goodbye to your sister. Will you do so with our kindest regards’, mark to centre and one minor crease, plus a printed Programme of Final Rehearsals for the 1903 Middlesbrough Music Festival, irregular fold and heavily marked, one page, 4to (Quantity: 3) These items relate to a performance of The Dream of Gerontius in Middlesbrough on 23 April 1903. The recipient of this letter was Theodore Hornung (1853-1927) and the sister mentioned by Alice was either Bertha Hornung (1856-1927) or Ida Hornung (1859-1951). Theodore was an older brother of the author and poet, Ernest William Hornung (1866-1921), author of the Raffles stories. Theodore was the honorary secretary of the Middlesbrough Festival and the person with whom the Elgars stayed on the eve of the Gerontius performance where Elgar was the invited conductor. The score was signed and inscribed by Elgar on that evening and was most likely autographed for Hornung. In this particular performance, the soloists were William Green Muriel Foster and David Ffrangcon-Davies.