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Original typed and handwritten letters from various music publishers, music sellers, instrument makers and music librarians to Derek Bell. Two addresses listed for Bell are CEMA [the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts, Northern Ireland], Tyrone House, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast (29 Oct 1957) and BBC Orchestra, Ormeau Ave, Belfast (28 Jan 1972) as well as various private addresses. Letters refer to the supply of sheet music, music books, musical instruments and reeds. Includes letters from Harry Baker, The Oboists’ Music Lending Library, Kent, England; Anthony Wright, Mills Music Publishers, London, England; B. A. Hiscoke, Schott Music Publishers; Síle O’Tierney, Music Librarian, Trinity College Library, Dublin; John Dowd, Musica Obscura, Chicago Illinois, United States of America; Adrian WIlliam, London, England; Edwin A. Moon, London, England; Richard Schauer, Music Publishers & Exporters, London, England; Mikki Henry, International Music Service, New York; William Ring, Howarth of London, England; Severo M. Ornstein, California; The Sorabji Archive, Bath, England; Claire Brown, Kevin Mayhew Publishers, Suffolk, England; Harvey Taylor, Edgar Backus, Leicester, England; Ken Freeman, Harpcraft, Surrey, England; Lark in the Morning, California, United States of America; Lewis Foreman, Hertfordshire, England.

Original typed and handwritten letters from various musicians to Derek Bell. Includes letters from Raymond Warren, Professor of Music, Queen’s University of Belfast; Roslyn Rensch Erbes, Terre Hante, Indiana, United States of America who references various harp teachers including Edmund Schuecker and Rensch’s own teacher Alberto Salvi, she also discusses the music of [Elias] Parish-Alvars (19 Dec 1971); Peadar [Mercier] who includes a limerick which he has written about Bell; The Rt. Hon. The Lord Dunleath, Newtownards, Co Down writes about F. A. Haughton a ‘lecturer in piano-playing, harmony and theory at the Belfast School of Music’ and Bell’s request that Haughton’s name be put forward for an honours recommendation; also includes illustrated letters from a German harp player, Theodor Menzel, Augsburg, Germany; letters from composer Patrick [Piggott] who writes about working on his most recent compositions The quest a ‘work for piano & orchestra’ and a ‘2nd Rhapsody for unaccompanied cello’. There is also a reference to the pianist John O’Connor’s recordings of John Field’s concertos (2 April 1986); letters from Liam Ó Conchubhair, Dublin; Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, Corona, California, United States of America (18 September 1980); Sir Malcolm Arnold, Attleborough, Norfolk, England; Robin Lough, London, England; Fionnuala Sherry, Dublin; De Wayne Fulton, California, United States of America; Lindsay Armstrong, Dublin; Paul H. Hurst, California, United States of America; Kathy Garfunkel; Fran O’Rourke, Dublin; oboist, Rheta Smith; Jim Gardner, Auckland, New Zealand; John Dowd, New Hampshire, United States of America; Frances Ball, Ealing, London, England; David Miller, Oregon Symphony, Portland, Oregon, United States of America; Paddy Moloney, Dublin; and an undated letter from Derek Bell to Leslie ? with a detailed biographical note about Welsh harpist John Thomas.

Non-commercial DAT recordings including ‘Music from Bulgaria, Abbey Road Recording Session’ (18 Nov 1994).

Original and photocopied typescripts, letters, reviews and programmes. Includes an analysis of Divertissement (A day in the life of “Paddy the Kerryman” ) for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano by Derek Bell. In the analysis Bell tells us that ‘the main tune, a reel, was kindly contributed by Dr Paddy Moloney, founder of The Chieftains’ (June 1997); letters from Ian Crowther, Crowthers of Canterbury, Woodwind and Brass Specialists, Canterbury, Kent, England to Derek Bell about the première of Divertissement which will be performed at the ‘Canterbury Festival concert on Friday 24 October’ (6 Aug 1997). A subsequent letter from Crowther encloses a ‘copy of the tape of the concert … and also a review’ (5 Nov 1997); programme of the première of Divertissement performed by the Crowther Wind Quintet (24 Oct 1997); and review of the composition in the Kentish gazette (30 Oct 1997).

Includes original receipts relating to the purchase of music and musical instrument; includes letter from Paddy Moloney to Derek Bell referring to the payment of expenses incurred during a recent recording session, Moloney says that ‘this cheque does not include any work for the scoring you may do’ (20 March 1997); also includes ‘Chieftains tour expense report Scandanavia [Scandinavia] 1997’.

Original and photocopied seminar notes. Includes ‘Initiation - dances from the cosmic tradition by Gideon Fontalba’ (14 Apr 1989); ‘Notes from the seminar in Port Rush [Portrush] … with Gideon Fontalba’ (17 Nov 1989); copy of seminar notes sent to Derek Bell by Sally Duncan, Sussex taken at a seminar with Gideon Fontalba ‘Dynamiscke harmonie: heilung und einweihung’ (21 July 1989); and handwritten notes made by Bell about meditation, mysticism and music.

Includes Irish times article about harpist Madame Maria Korchinska (5 Oct 1968); article about avant-garde harp music by Derek Bell ‘A field day for bluffers’ (June 1975); various newspaper clippings relating to harps and harpists; various articles about the Irish harp; concert programme for harpist Sidonie Goossens 100th birthday concert in Wigmore Hall, London (20 Oct 1999); booklet about the concert harp in Bulgarian signed by the author Maria Tutuvilova (August 2000); photocopy of handwritten list of 19th century harp music; photocopy of handwritten letter from harp teacher Alfred Holý to his pupil Artiss [de Volt] (6 July ?); folk and orchestral harp catalogues; photographs of Alfred Holý; and various photographs of harps.

Original typed letters relating to Derek Bell’s appointment as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). Includes letter from William Chapman, Secretary for Appointments, 10 Downing Street, London, England to Derek Bell informing him that the Prime Minister [Tony Blair] would like to submit Bell’s name to ‘The Queen’ for the coming list of Birthday Honours. He wants to know from Bell if this would ‘be agreeable’ to him (11 May 2000); also includes a letter from Tim Hitchens, Assistant Private Secretary, Buckingham Palace to Derek Bell thanking him for his CDs, which number 10 Downing Street had passed on. Hitchens will ensure ‘that Her Majesty is made aware’ of them (22 May 2000).