THE TRIALS OF A LYRIC WRITER MACFARREN (Sir George Alexander, 1813-1887, Professor at the RAM)

2 LS to C. Osborne, saying "Messrs Chappell ... are printing 'I will sit here and spin' ... I hope you will forgive my omitting the 2nd verse ... because a 3rd verse kills the good effect of a song in public, and the episode of the soldiers may perhaps be spared", in the second he asks Osborne to arrange terms with "Mr Arthur Chappell for ... 'I'll stay here and spin'. I am sorry you think the omission ... unfortunate because as Mr Chappell & Miss Poole concur with me, I cannot follow your wishes -- the change of the word 'lasses' to 'reapers' makes the sense complete, & I trust you will kindly consent to the sacrifice", together 4 sides 8vo., 7 Hamilton Terrace, 26th April and 16th May

Both letters have a laboured signature from Macfarren, whose sight was almost gone. However, he continued to compose songs, oratorios and operas, and teach at the RAM, in 1875 becoming Principal and at the same time Professor of Music at Cambridge.

Item Date:  1864

Stock No:  51365      £150

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