[Two manuscript letters]
by HENSCHEL George (1850-1934)
[London] Kensington: 45 Bedford Gardens, 1889 and 1890. . 8vo bi-folds. Henschel was a composer, painist, conductor and baritone; he was married to the American soprano Lilian June Bailey (1860-1901).The first letter, dated November 7, 1889 to an illegible recipient (possibly Russian) on his 45 Bedford Gardens letterhead concerns the recipientÕs request that Henschel change the time of an upcoming concert:ÒPermit me to thank you for your kind letter and for the interest you take in my Symphony Concerts. Unfortunately however I do not see how the hour of the beginning can be changed now when all the preliminaries are already published.ÒBut even if this were possible I should be unable to do it as I have to do only with the artistic part of the concerts laving all the mechanical part of the arrangements to the Manager...and I am told by him and other managers, that as far as concerts are concerned, the close of them is the chief consideration.ÒAnd I have already announced that I shall finish the concerts each time as nearly as possible at a quarter past ten...ÓThe second letter on different paper, but with the same address dated April 19, 1890 is to a Miss Stephens.ÒIt was indeed kind of you to redeem your fatherÕs promise & send me that charming and interesting souvenir of the Concert at Lady AshburnhamÕs Mission Hall. think the sketch quite excellent and thank you very much for taking the trouble of doing it for me. ÒMy wife is in the country from where I shall fetch her this afternoon.ÒOn the first and third Sundays we are always at home in the afternoon and shall be very glad to see you and show you one or two good pictures. ....Ó (Inventory #: 2801)