Kaikhosru Sorabji to Philip Heseltine 37 (24 June 1922)

 

Saturday [24 June 1922]

 

175, CLARENCE GATE GARDENS.

REGENTS PARK,

N.W.1.

 

Belovedest Prosdoscimus:-

 

By all means choose my paper if you like it. You don’t say what you think of the songs you Sod! And I wrote a swete dedication on them for you – Blast you!

 

Yes exactly! Who to turn to as agents? As far as I’m concerned I’ll be my own. The sale of my works is not so overpowering in size that I can’t cope with it and it ought to be rather amusing. But I’m concerned about you and Orr. Try Goodwin & Tabb why don’t you? I have nothing whatever to do with Robber BLion Kling-Klux-Klang.

 

I’m going away on July 24^th or 25^th for my holiday and right glad of it shall I be after nearly two years incessant writing Sonata II – Symphony – Sonata III.

 

Yes, Salvarsan is a good name for him [Aleister Crowley]: for he’s as much a fraud as that much boomed “remedy”. I’ve been reading a perfectly appalling dynamiting of it by a nature therapist who says that Ehrlich himself has had to admit over 120 deaths from its use!

 

Tomorrow – Sunday evening at the Canonical Hour of Vespers I break my 7 day fast. It’s been an ordeal but I’ve done it – which is more than old Syph-Salv could ever do.

 

Now about the biographical snips. Born 1895 – Mother Spanish Father Parsî – in Essex. Educated privately with tutors. Commenced composing in 1915: but has discarded all works prior to 1918 including a large number of songs and 2 piano Concertos etc.

 

First performance of 1^st Sonata in 1920 Nov. at Mortimer Hall – Composer as pianist – 1^st performance of the 3 songs at Societe Musicale Independent in Paris by Mme. Marthe Martine in June 1921: composer accompanying. 1^st performance of Second Sonata (together with 1^st) at a private recital in Vienna in January 13^th 1922.

 

You can add to the list of works ‘Black Mass’ for Chorus Large Orchestra and Organ – “in preparation”.

 

 

 

[Philip Heseltine, article 'Sorabji', in Eaglefield Hull, A Dictionary of Modern Music & Musicians, 1924] 

I’m glad to hear about your song-cycle. Thank God [Gerald] Cooper isn’t going to sing in it. He’d ruin anything. What idiots these fellows are. Because they have good taste in music they think that qualifies them to pose as singers! Battistini’s marvellous performance has done a good many of them down I think.

 

I heard Paul Reimers yesterday – one of the most exquisitely fine and cultured singing artists I have ever heard – far finer than Gerhardt – for his vocal style and technique are immensely superior to hers, which are very full of glaring faults – wobbling and breathing noisily like a grampus – a hideous defect, that one expects of Clarion Waterbutts [Clara Butt] but not of Gerhardt!

 

I hope you’ll come before 25^th July. Do try!

 

Your loving

 

Gote-Piece