Dossier DBE-239678/5/2/4 - Commissions

Original letters, fax and draft programme. Includes letters from Margaret McKee, Producer, World Service, BBC, London, England to Derek Bell. Bell has been asked to ‘compose the harp accompaniment’ to a series of stories and legends which she has sent to him on cassettes. The series is called ‘ The Celts ’, one of the stories is that of ‘Donn Bo - the head that even when it is severed from the body continues to live, to smile and even to make music!’ (1 Nov 1984); a faxed commissioning contract from Anne Dhu Shapiro, Boston College Music Department (the commissioner) to Derek Bell (the composer). The contract outlines the financial arrangements, the deadline for completion of commission and the ownership of the composition. ‘Apart from the commissioner’s right to give the first performance of the commissioned work, all other rights in the composition remain the property of the composer’ (22 Nov 1991); also includes a draft programme for the performance by Derek Bell and the Boston College Chamber Orchestra of the commissioned work Three pictures from Ancient Ireland in druid times (1991).