Manuscript diaries

Item author: Edward Elgar, Alice Elgar, Carice Elgar
Item date: 19th - 20th centuries
Grant Value: 5,000
Item cost: 50,000
Item date acquired: 1995
Item institution: Birmingham University
Town/City: Birmingham
County: West Midlands

Elgar was first Peyton Professor of Music in the University of Birmingham. The collection of 59 diaries comprises 10 by Elgar, 33 by his wife Alice and 16 by their daughter Carice. Alices diaries provide a picture of the day to day life of the Elgars as well as the immense labour of Elgars writing. Elgars diaries are spread over a 35 year period, comparatively terse, but recording his wifes death in touching detail. There are also 29 letters from Elgar to Fred Gaisberg of The Gramophone Company, in one of which he records his great pleasure at Yehudi Menuhins performance of the Violin Concerto

Item Provenance
Remained with the composers daughter until her death in 1970, bequeathed by her to Mrs Sybil Wohlfeld; on her death in 1990 they were bequeathed to Raymond Monk from whom they were purchased