Welcome! and introducing the blog

This blog relates to the research project and book Kaikhosru Sorabji's Letters to Philip Heseltine (Peter Warlock) ed Brian Inglis and Barry Smith (Routledge 2020). During 2022 - from January to July, specifically - excerpts from the edition will be posted here. These posts reflect the texts of letters sent from British-Asian composer, pianist and writer Kaikhosru Sorabji (1892-1988)
to his friend and colleague, the musician Philip Heseltine - better known by his pseudonym Peter Warlock (1894-1930)

to the date, exactly 100 years on. Thereby giving a sense of the rhythm of the correspondence (initiated in 1913) as it drew to its close, and the gap between then and now. 

The complete transcribed correspondence (based on a manuscript in the British Library) is contained in the said book, with footnote annotations, contextual documents and an extensive introductory and interpretative essay. Available from Routledge in hardback, paperback and eBook formats.

https://www.routledge.com/Kaikhosru-Sorabjis-Letters-to-Philip-Heseltine-Peter-Warlock/Inglis-Smith/p/book/9780367728243 

Enjoy reading this sample of the letters! They give a particularly fascinating insight into the time, place(s) and personalities (musical and otherwise), as well as Sorabji's own activities and his relationship with Heseltine. This was an eventful time, seeing Sorabji give significant performances in Vienna of his piano sonata 1 (1st performance outside the UK) and 2 (world premiere), against the backdrop of the nascent Austrian republic. Plus trips to Paris and Sicily and memorable encounters with/descriptions of Alfred Kalmus, Arthur Bliss ('Arthur Piss' as Sorabji called him) and Aleister Crowley, amongst others. 

Other than credit to Routledge, acknowledgement is due to the Sorabji Archive (curator Alistair Hinton), who own the copyright in all Sorabji's literary and musical works. With thanks for continuing permissions, without which the project, book publication, and hence this blog, could not have taken place. 

Illustrations in this blog include modern photos of places mentioned in the correspondence. These supplement the illustrative material to be found in the book.  

Texts are from the authors' Accepted Manuscript.

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