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Collection Description
Collection name	Robert Simpson Collection
Unique identifier	Simpson Programmes 1-11.
Description	Concert programmes from the Robert Simpson archive. Consisting of 11 boxes. A mixture of programmes including those which include performances of Simpson's works, those he wrote notes and/or programmes for, and others. Also present is an original card catalogue (Shelfmark MS. Simpson 42), which shows the programmes contain substantial numbers of performances of Beethoven, Bruckner, Haydn, Mozart, Nielson, and Simpson himself. Box 1 Programmes from 19/05/1949 - 06/02/1963, with one 1969-70 season programme of the Halle magazine (in which Simpson wrote an article. Mostly from the 1950s. Significant numbers of programmes for The Haydn Orchestra at Conway Hall, some Henry Wood Proms programmes, and many others. Indexed in the card catalogue. Includes the first public performance of Symphony no.1, given by the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall on 8 June 1956 (Card index no. 7), alongside performances of Tom O'Shanter Overture (Malcolm Arnold), Introduction and Allegro for Strings (Elgar), and Symphony No. 4 in F minor (Vaughan Williams) Box 2 Programmes from 09/02/1959 - 14/04/1970, mostly from the 1960s. Significant numbers of Henry Wood Proms programmes. Indexed in the card catalogue. Mostly London programmes, with a few from Liverpool (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society) and elsewhere (Cheltenham, Eastbourne and Dorking). Indexed in the card catalogue. Includes the first public performance of Symphony no. 3, given by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra on 14th March 1963 (Card index no. 40), alongside performances of Symphony no. 27 in G (Mozart), An English Rhapsody, Brigg Fair (Delius), and Violin Concerto in D (Tchaikovsky). Also includes the first performance of Simpson's Piano Concerto, given by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (pianist - John Ogden) at the Cheltenham Town Hall as part of the Cheltenham Festival 1967 on 14 July 1967, alongside performances of Strauss' Symphonic Poem: Don Juan, op.20, Richard Rodney Bennet's Symphony, and Stravinsky's The Fire-Bird Suite. Box also includes the first performance of Simpson's Clarinet Quintet, given by The Melos Ensemble of London at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 26 Nov 1968, alongside performances of Mozart's Quartet in F for oboe and strings, K. 370, and Schubert's Octet in F, D.803. Box also includes the first performance of Simpson's Trio by the De Peyer/Pleeth/Wallfisch Trio, given at Queen Elizabeth Hall on 18 June 1968, alongside performances of Beethoven's Trio in B flat, Op. 11, Phyliss Tate's Sonata for clarinet and cello, and Brahms' Tio in A minor, op. 114. Box also includes the first performance of Simpson's Variations And Fugue (In Memoriam Horace Dann, 1958) for Recorder and String Quartet. Given by the Carl Dometsch and The Martin String Quartet. at Wigmore Hall on 9 February 1959 (Card index no 43). Box 3 Programmes from 02/06/1970 - 03/10/1973. Most from London, including some Proms and some New Philharmonia. Some from Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society celebrating Beethoven's bicentenary. Indexed in the card catalogue. Includes the first public performance of Symphony no.5, given by the London Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall on 3 May 1973 (Card index no. 98), alongside performances of Tragic Overture (Brahms), and Piano Concerto in B flat major K595 (Mozart). Box 4 Programmes from 22/06/1974 - 28/06/1981. Many from Simpson-Beethoven Quartet Series, Delme Quartet at Brunel University 1980. Others from the Proms, the LSO, and from other cities, although most are from London. Indexed in the card catalogue. Includes the first public performance of Symphony no. 6, given by the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall on 8 April 1980 (Card index no. 132), alongside performances of Dvorak Overtures (In Nature's Realm, Carnival, Othello), and Piano Concerto 2 in C minor (Rachmaninov). Box also includes programmes for a series of concerts by The Delme Quartet at Brunel University in 1980 from the Simpson-Beethoven Quartet Series, each containing the performance of a Simpson String Quartet, the last of which was a first performance: String Quartet No. 1, given by The Delmé Quartet at Brunel University 3 May 1980 (Card index no. 123), alongside Contrapuncti I, II, III & IV from The Art of Fugue (Bach arr. Simpson) and Beethoven's String Quartet in E flat major, Op. 127. String Quartet No. 2, given by The Delmé Quartet at Brunel University 10 May 1980 (Card index no. 124), alongside Contrapuncti V, VI & VII from The Art of Fugue (Bach arr. Simpson) and Beethoven's String Quartet in A minor Op. 132. String Quartet No. 3, given by The Delmé Quartet at Brunel University 17 May 1980 (Card index no. 125), alongside Contrapunctus VIII from The Art of Fugue (Bach arr. Simpson) and Beethoven's String Quartet in F major Op. 135. String Quartet No. 4, given by The Delmé Quartet at Brunel University 24 May 1980 (Card index no. 126), alongside Contrapunctus IX from The Art of Fugue (Bach arr. Simpson) and Beethoven's String Quartet in F major Op. 59, no. 1. String Quartet No. 5, given by The Delmé Quartet at Brunel University c.31 May 1980 (Card index no. 127), alongside Contrapunctus X from The Art of Fugue (Bach arr. Simpson) and Beethoven's String Quartet in F major Op. 59, no. 2. String Quartet No. 6, given by The Delmé Quartet at Brunel University 7 June 1980 (Card index no. 128), alongside Contrapunctus XI from The Art of Fugue (Bach arr. Simpson) and Beethoven's String Quartet in F major Op. 59, no. 1. String Quartet No. 7, given by The Delmé Quartet at Brunel University 14 June 1980 (Card index no. 129), alongside Contrapuncti XII and XIII from The Art of Fugue (Bach arr. Simpson) and Beethoven's String Quartet in Bb major Op. 130 (Including the Grosse Fuge, op. 133). The first performance of Simpson's String Quartet No. 8, given by The Delmé Quartet at Brunel University 21 June 1980 (Card index no. 130), alongside Contrapunctus XIV from The Art of Fugue (Bach arr. Simpson) and Beethoven's String Quartet in C# minor Op. 131. Box also includes the first performances of Simpson's Media Morte In Vita Sumus, given by the Aylesbury Choral Society at the Vale Hall, Aylesbury on 3 April 1976 (Card index no. 112), alongside a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (Choral). Box 5 Programmes from 19/07/1982 - 12/05/1985. 2 from San Francisco Symphony (May 1980) with notes on Nielson by Simpson. Others from London and GB (Liverpool, Cheltenham, Oxford, and more. Indexed in the card catalogue. Includes the first public performance of Symphony no. 7, given by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society on 3 October 1984 (Card index no. 160), alongside performances of Introduction and Allegro for strings op. 47 (Elgar), and Violin concerto in D major op.61 (Beethoven). Box also includes the first performances of Simpson's String Quartet no. 9, given by The Delmé Quartet at Wigmore Hall on 6 October 1982 (Card index no. 148), alongside performances of Schubert's Quartettsatz Op posth D 703, and Haydn's String Quartet Op.76 No.3 in C major. Box also includes the first performances of Simpson's String Quartet no. 10 (For Peace), written for and performed by the Coull String Quartet at the Arts Centre, University of Warwick, on 23 June 1984, alongside Haydn's Quartet in D major Op.20, No.4, and Beethoven's Quartet in F major Op.59, no. 1 (Card index no. 159) Box also includes the first performances of Simpson's String Quartet no. 11, commissioned by Music at Alfreton Hall and given by the Coull String Quartet at Alfreton Hall on 30 March 1985, alongside performances of Haydn's Quartet in D op. 20 no 4, and Schubert's Quartet in A minor D 804 (Card index no. 175). Box 6 Programmes from 24/09/1951 - 25/03/1986. Not ordered by date. All from GB. Indexed in the card catalogue. Includes the first public performance of Symphony no. 8, given by the Royal Danish Orchestra, at the Royal Festival Hall on 10 November 1982 (Card index no. 168), alongside performances of Overture: Maskarade (Nielson), Piano Concerto in A minor (Schumann), and Francesca da Rimini (Tchaikovsky). Also includes the first performance of Simpson's Quintet for 3 Double Basses, clarinet and bass clarinet, given by the London Double-Bass Ensemble, with Jack Brymer (clarinet) and Stephen Trier (bass clarinet) at the Wigmore Hall on 27 April 1981 (Card index no. 188); other performances in the same concert include Two Canzonas (Frescobaldi), Polacca from Duo No. 1 in G major (Bottesini), Aria "per questa bella mano" (Mozart), Quartet for Double Basses (Joseph Lauber), Quartet for Double Basses (Gunther Schuller), "Suite & Low" (Daryl Runswick), and "Slap That Bass" (George Gershwin arr. Cotton). Box also includes the first performances of Simpson's Sonata for Violin and Piano, Given by Pauline Lowbury (acc. Christopher Green-Armytage) at the Wigmore Hall on 3 February 1986, alongside performances of Beethoven's Sonata in A minor, op. 23, and Brahms' Sonata in A Major Op. 100 (card index no. 181). Box 7 Programmes from 06/07/1958 - 17/02/1990. Ordered by date. Date range 15/02/1986 - 17/02/1990, apart from one programme - Cheltenham Festival of British Contemporary Music - from 1958. Indexed in the card catalogue. Includes the first public performance of Symphony no. 9, given by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at Wessex Hall, Poole on 8 April 1987 (card index no. 223), alongside a performance of Cello Concerto in B minor (Dvorák). Included in this programme is an insert from the Robert Simpson Society asking for donations to support a recording of the work. Box also includes the first performance of Simpson's Variations on a Theme of Carl Nielson, given by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society in 26 Nov 1986 (card index no. 215), alongside performances of Beethoven's Violin concerto in D major op.61, and Nielson's Helios Overture. Box also includes the first performance of Simpson's Allegro Deciso for String Orchestra, given by The Twentieth Century Ensemble, at Cheltenham Festival on 11 July 1958 (Card index no. 210), alongside performances of Carlo Martelli's Serenade for String Orchestra, Bohuslav Martinu's Concertino for Piano Trio and String Orchestra, and Paul Hindemith's Theme and Four Variations for Piano and Strings. Box also includes the first performance of Simpson's String Quintet, given by the Coull Quartet with Roger Bigley (viola) at St. John's Smith Square for the BBC Lunchtime Concert on 17 April 1989 (card index no. 240), alongside a performance of Dvorak's String Quintet in E flat major op. 97. Box also includes the first performance of Simpson's String Quartet no. 12, given by the Coull Quartet and commissioned by the Nottingham Festival, at Newstead Abbey on 6 June 1988, alongside performances of Mozart's Adagio and Fugue in C mino, K546, and Haydn's Quartet No. 67 in F, op. 77, no. 2 (card index no. 230). Box also includes the first performances of Simpson's Tempi by The Allegri Singers at the The Aula Maxima, University College Cork, as part of The 25th Seminar on Contemporary Choral Music, itself part of The 35th Cork International Choral and Folk Dance Festival. Given on 29 April 1988 (card index no. 219). Box 8 Programmes from 04/05/1990 - 27/03/1992. Ordered by Date. Including first performance of Simpson's "Variations on a theme of Beethoven" by Raymond Clarke on 11/09/1991 at the Purcell Room. Indexed in the card catalogue. Includes the first public performance of Symphony no. 10, given by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra on 16 January 1991 (Card index no. 249), alongside performances of The Bard (Sibelius), and Piano Concerto no.3 (Rakhmaninov). Box also includes the first performance of Simpson's String Quartet no. 13, given by the Delme Quartet at St. David's Hall for the Cardiff Festival of Music on 18 Sept 1990, alongside performances of Tchaikovsky's String Quartet's No. 1 & 2, Op. 11 & Op. 22, and Simpson's String Quartet No. 3 op.30, Quartet No. 2, and Quartet No. 7 (card index no. 247) Box also includes the first performance of Simpson's String Quartet no. 14, given by The RTE Vanbrugh String Quartet at The Music Department of University College, Cork as part of its 15th Annual Lunchtime Concert Series 1990/91 in the Aula Maxima, UCC, on 7 May 1991 (card index no. 254). Followed by a post-concert talk by the composer. Box also includes the first London performance of Simpson's Trio, by The Terroni Piano Trio, on 30th June 1990 at Barnet College (Card index no. 246). Box also includes the first performance of Simpson's Variations on a Theme of Beethoven. Given by Raymond Clarke at the Purcell room on 11 September 1991 (Card index no 260), alongside performances of Liszt's Funérailles, Matthey Taylor's Four Bagatelles, Rachmaminov's Etudes-Tableux Op. 39 no. 5 and no. 9, Car Nielson' Suite No 2, Op. 45, and Beethoven's Sonata No. 32 in C minor op. 111. Box 9 Programmes from 16//05/1992 - 07/03/2001. Ordered by Date. Indexed in the card catalogue. Includes some programmes in memory of Robert Simpson. Programme no 267 (indexed in the card catalogue) includes four world premieres at the Malvern Festival 1992. Includes the first public performance of Symphony no. 11 by the City of London Sinfonia at the Elgar Hall on 23 May 1992, alongside performances of Mendelssohn's Overture "The Hebrides" op. 26, and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat "The Emperor". Also Includes the first public performance of Quartet no.15 by The Vanbrugh Quartet at The Downs School, Colwall on 22 May 1992, alongside performances of Janacek's Quartet No. 1, and Beethoven's Quartet in A minor, op. 132. Also includes the first performance of Simpson's Cello Concerto by the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra and Raphael Wallfisch (cello) at the Elgar Hall on 17 May 1992, alongside performances of Elgar's Overture, "In the South", and Sibelius' The Swan of Tuonela and Symphony no. 5 in E flat. Also includes the first performance of Simpson's Flute Concerto, given by the City of London Sinfonia with Susan Milan (flute) at the Elgar Hall on 24 May 1992, alongside performances of Beethoven's Coriolan Overture, Nielson's Flute Concerto and Beethoven's Symphony no. 7, in A major. Also includes the first performance of Simpson's Cello Quintet, given by the Maggini Quartet at the Pittville Pump Room at the Cheltenham Festival 1996 on 11 July, alongside performances of Haydn's String Quartet in F, op. 77 No. 2, Arensky's Variations on a theme of Tchaikovsky, op. 35a, and Beethoven's 'Harp' String Quartet in E flat, Op. 74. Box 10 Programmes from 17/02/1937 - 19/11/1991 Ordered by Date. Not indexed in the card catalogue. All from GB, vast majority from London. Box 11 Programmes from 12/02/1992 - 15/01/2016. Ordered by Date. Not indexed in the card catalogue.
Date range	1937 - 2016
Associated People and Organisations	Robert Simpson - Delme Quartet - The Haydn Orchestra - New Philharmonia Orchestra - BBC Proms - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society - San Francisco Symphony - Cheltenham Festival of British Contemporary Music -
Associated Places	Purcell Room Royal Albert Hall London Liverpool Oxford San Francisco
Associated Times	20th century - mid 1931-1970 20th century - late 1971-1999 21st century
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Bodleian Library, Music Library
Broad Street,Music Library Oxford OX1 3BG Open Map
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Website	http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk
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Collections Overview	The collection has very strong holdings of British music and related material acquired in part by legal deposit. Many collected editions and scholarly series. Very strong periodical coverage, including major 19thC European journals. Largest collection of American song material in UK.
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Collection Owner(s)	Simpson,Robert
Collection Creator(s)	Simpson,Robert Robert Simpson Society,
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Bodleian Library, Music Library

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