Various items of ephemera including concert programmes, advertising flyers for concerts and recordings, and seven beer mats. Includes programmes for 1975 United Kingdom tour ‘The Chieftains in concert’ in association with Harvey Goldsmith and Jo Lustig (6 Nov [1975]); The Edinburgh Rock Festival ‘79’ (1 Sep 1979); The Chieftains tour of China [May 1983]; ‘The Chieftains and Northern Ireland Symphony, Ulster Hall’ (14 Apr 1991); ‘Utah Symphony’ (20 Mar 1998); and a programme in Japanese ‘The Chieftains 2001’ (17 May 2001); also includes a beer mat from the ‘First Australian tour, Hail The Chieftains’ [1976].
Original promotional press packs created by The Chieftains’ record companies. Each pack contains biographical information, photographs, reviews and testimonials. Included are press packs from the following record companies: Island Records Inc., 7720 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California [United States of America] with two black & white photographs of The Chieftains (Paddy Moloney, Peadar Mercier, Martin Fay, Derek Bell, Seán Potts, Michael Tubridy and Seán Keane) and Paddy Moloney (8 Oct 1975); Polydor International GMBH, 2 Hamburg 13 [Germany] with four black & white photographs of The Chieftains (30 Oct 1976); Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaf m.b.H, A + R Presse International, 2 Hamburg 36 [Germany] ( Jan 1976); C. B. Enterprises, Charles B. Comer, 150 East 50th Street, New York [United States of America] (25 Mar 1982); and C. B. Enterprises, Charles B. Comer, 150 East 50th Street, New York [United States of America] (29 Nov 1992).
Original and photocopied letters, newspaper clippings and magazine relating to two publications. Includes review of the book Olta le ceolta written Liam Ó Conchubhair, music arranged by Derek Bell, Foilseacháin Náisiúnta Teoranta (FNT), 1986 (13 Dec 1986); black & white photograph of Séamus Ó Cathasaigh, manager FNT, Derek Bell and Liam Ó Conchubhair; review of Traditional songs of the North of Ireland by Liam Ó Conchubhair and Derek Bell, Wolfhound Press, 1999 (8 Sep 1999); and letter from Wolfhound Press to Derek Bell about the transfer of the ‘Wolfhound list to Merlin Media’ (26 Oct 2001).
Original and photocopied newspaper clippings, letters and typescripts relating to Derek Bell’s solo & collaborative recordings. Includes review of album Carolan’s receipt (7 Jul 1976); a photocopied handwritten track list for [ Carolan’s favourite ] [1979]; various reviews of Carolan’s favourite ; a letter from Charles [Guard], Isle of Man to Derek Bell with information about Manx tunes and songs for a possible recording [1981]; typescript of ‘possible questions for Mel’s radio/TV interview with Derek [Bell] and Swami [James Donald Walters]’ the interview is to promote the album Mystic harp [1996]; review in German, French and English of Dussek an album by Derek Bell (harp) and Joanna Leach (piano) (7 Nov 2000); review in Italian and English of Sri Kryiananda (James Donald Walters) and Derek Bell’s album Mystic harp 2 (24 Nov 2002).
Letters, typescripts, newspaper clippings, draft programme notes and ephemera relating to various solo recordings, compositions, commissions and publications produced by Derek Bell over his lifetime. The majority of the material dates from the late 1980s and the 1990s. Material relating to The Chieftains’ recordings can be found in the subseries The Chieftains (DBE-239678/4/2).
Includes non-commercial reel-to-reel recordings of Derek Bell and folk music. Including ‘Seán Ó Riada and Carolan music’ (n.d.); ‘A programme of Romanian folk music’ Romanian RadioTelevision (n.d.); ‘Music for a while Derek Bell listening copy’ (n.d.); ‘The fairies’ lament and dance by Derek Bell’ (24 April 1975); and commercial harp recordings made by Ken Freeman of Harpcraft for Derek Bell (n.d.).
This subseries contains seminar notes, letters, articles and religious texts relating to Bell’s interest in Buddhism, Eastern mysticism, Kriya Yoga and the power of music and meditation to counteract evil. Seminar notes and articles are from the teaching of guru, Gideon Fontalba. The second file in this subseries relates to letters and articles which refer to a legal case involving a minister of the Self Realization Fellowship, Swami Kriyanan (born James Donald Walters). Kriyanan was a friend of Derek Bell for many years and collaborated with him on two CDs - Mystical harp and Mystical harp II . Other religious texts are from a distance learning course provided by the Arcane School, London, England. The school provides students with training in meditation and offers a service to develop their spiritual potential.
Original and photocopied letters and articles. Includes letter from Priscilla ?, Amrita Foundation, Dallas, Texas, United States of America thanking Bell for his kind donation (27 May 1998); ‘notes on Kriya Yoga technique’; various letters and articles relating to the guru and founder of the Los Angeles based Self Realization Fellowship, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda and his direct disciple Swami Kriyananda (born James Donald Walters), much of the correspondence relates to a criminal trial. These letters are marked confidential.
Letters, rehearsal schedules, performance invitations, concert programmes, reviews, articles, posters and ephemera relating to Bell’s solo and orchestral career. Material dates from Bell’s time performing with the BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra and the City of Belfast Orchestra in the 1950s and 1960s. Bell’s successful international solo career performing on a range of musical instruments including the piano, oboe, pedal and Irish harp, cor anglais and cimbalom is also in evidence in this subseries.
