Kaikhosru Sorabji's Letters to Peter Warlock (Inglis/Smith: Routledge)

  28 April 1922.   My Phee:   Michaud consents to act as agent for Orr’s songs on a 50% Basis of commission. I’ve got that in writing from him so you can fire ahead. I’m the only person who has 40% but I’m naturally a “privileged person” (!) being the first and he having such a batch of my work. Keep discreet on this matter.   He says he wants £5000 more capital to extend the business – and as he’s an excellent straight creature – a vastly superior breed to the filthy old Kling or the equally poisonous old Volkert he deserves what help one can give him in the way of milking the moneyed ones. You had much better do all your future work with him as I’m doing and don’t be bled by Augener on whom I piss.   It would be an idea to interest Gerald Cooper in the L[ondon]. and C[ontinental]. as a possible purchaser of shares. Sound him on the subject. He, Michaud has weathered a very bad year and has faced the opposition of Augener who announced their ...

  12. 4.22.   Belovedest and Bestest Phee:-   Thanks for the card with the picture of the dell on it which is charming. But my angel surely I wrote you either from Palermo or Vienna telling you about the Concert?   I played the 2 Sonatas only at 5 oclock on Friday Jan. 13 in the Kammersaal of the Musikvereinsgebäude. The audience was small – all by invitation only not a hundred or any where near it but they were such an audience - - - pupils of Schönberg and D r. Wellecz . . . old Hertzka and Co. including the Kalmuck Litmus his nephew . . . . this creature’s mouth makes me think of a baby’s bottom or a pair of chicken and ham sausages superimposed lengthwise – and everybody came swarming round me after expressing the utmost amazement and ébahissement first at the music then of my playing of it – Dr Wellecz said . . “It is so difficult to us so new and strange, that you must give us time - - - such things in music we have never before heard: it is...