Showing 49 results

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.

Request from various organisation to Derek Bell to perform or rehearse. Includes a request from the general secretary of CEMA, Tyrone House, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast to Bell to play piano at a concert by the Lydian Singers in Neillsbrook Hall, Randalstown, [Co Antrim] ‘the work to be performed is Elijah and the conductor will be Douglas Armstrong’ (30 Apr 1958); information and script for the pre-recording of a radio programme for the Northern Ireland Home Service called ‘Music from Ulster’ with ‘Derek Bell (oboe and cor anglais), Norman Henry (baritone), Henrietta Byrne (soprano) and May Turtle and Havelock Nelson (pianos)’ (19 Jun 1958); rehearsal times and duty sheets for various orchestras including ‘City of Belfast Orchestra’ (9 Apr 1964) and ‘BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra’ (17 Oct 1967); letter from Marcella De Cray, Treasurer & 1979 Conference Director, American Harp Society, San Francisco, California, United States of America, inviting Bell to be a guest artist at the 16th Annual Conference of the American Harp Society’ (15 Jan 1979); copy of a letter from Liam Ó Conchubhair to Maureen Gallagher, Producer, BBC, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast referring to a ‘recital at Garron Tower’ (13 Jun 1992) includes a setlist of tunes and songs to be performed; an invitation from Christine Burns, Cork to Derek Bell to attend the ‘First Annual Cork Dulcimer Festival’ (Apr 2002).

Handwritten and typed letters and cards from various relatives and friends to Derek Bell and a series of letters from Derek Bell to Mary ?, Evansville, Indiana, United States of America. Letters from Bell’s mother, father and sister are personal in nature and mostly date from when he was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America. One of these letters is addressed to him ‘c/o American Wind Symphony Orchestra’ (3 July 1963). There are three letters from his parents written while visiting his sister in Cuzco, Peru. His father, William Bell, describes hearing Peruvian harps ‘the harps out here are a dead loss. Big ones about 8 ft. high, carried in hand occasionally, or crude little ones tinkled by blind Indians’ (13 Oct 1968); letters from Derek Bell to Mary ? are conversational in tone with many references to Bell’s work with The Chieftains including the release of a number of CDs including Tears of stone , Mystic harp II and Christmas in Rome . There are also references to his solo work and masterclasses. Includes descriptions of a recording session with soprano Monserrat Caballé in Barcelona (30 May 1998); The Chieftains recording ‘two pieces for the new Babe II film’ (20 Sep 1998); an amusing description of his ‘lunch with President Clinton in the House of Representatives’ (31 Mar 2000) and Bell’s attendance at the 100th birthday party of the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s harpist, Sidonie Goossens (12 Oct 1999); letters dating from June 2000 congratulate Bell on being awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II. Another letter references the death of Bell’s harp teacher Artiss [de Volt] (16 Sept 2000). Undated letters from Bell’s nephew William ? have many musical references especially to Bell’s career with The Chieftains; includes an undated letter from snooker player Alex Higgins. Undated correspondence has been placed at the back of the file.

Original and photocopy newspaper and magazine articles about The Chieftains and their tours, concerts, and recordings from various Irish, British, German, Finnish, Italian, Australian, New Zealand and North American publications. Includes reviews of The Chieftains 5 (Island, ILPS 9334) (18 Oct 1975); articles about The Chieftains being named Group of the Year by ‘Britain’s foremost pop paper, Melody maker ’ (12 Jan 1976); reviews of concerts in Melbourne, Australia (8 June 1977); and Dunedin, New Zealand (23 June 1977); article about the group’s performance in The Phoenix Park, Dublin during the ‘Offering of Mass’ by Pope John Paul II (16 Oct 1979); article about The Chieftains playing for Pope John Paul II at a General Audience in The Vatican, Italy (21 Jan 1980); articles about the premiere in Philadelphia, United States of America of The Chieftains Christmas show ‘A traditional Irish Christmas’ with special guest Geraldine Fitzgerald; (18 Dec 1981); a series of three articles published by the Irish times about The Chieftains tour in China (18-20 May 1983); reviews of Irish heartbeat their album with Van Morrison (18 Jun 1988); reviews of The Chieftains album Bells of Dublin (9 Oct 1991); copies of press clippings for The Chieftains album The long black veil (1995) which was collated by BMG International and RCA (20 Jan 1995); copies of press clippings from North American publications about the release of The Chieftains album Tears of stone (1999); articles about The Chieftains 40th anniversary in 2002 including reviews of their CD The wide world over: a 40-year celebration (19 Mar 2002).

Commercial and non-commercial VHS tapes. Copies of TV interviews with Derek Bell and The Chieftains including the Late Late Show (4 Mar 1988), (16 Dec 1988) and (20 Jan 1995), Ulster Television Kelly (14 Jan 1991) & (10 Jan 1997), ‘Chieftains TV: American music show, Nashville, [Tennessee, United States of America] (6 June 1992) 2. Jay Leno Show 3. This morning ’, CBS News (20 Aug 1997) and BBC Newsline (n.d.); concert recordings including ‘Cue the music: Chieftains in concert, Glastonbury, England’ [1982?], ‘The Chieftains USA Tour’ (March-July 1995), ‘Irish evening’, Baden Baden [Germany] (6 April 1995) and ‘A Capitol fourth 1995’, featuring Ricky Skaggs and The Chieftains (4 Jul 1995); copies of BBC recordings of Alan Tongue documentaries Derek Bell’s concert party (1977) and One man band (1988); other VHS tape recordings include ‘Music as experience’ Derek Bell and Donald Walters, Ananda Center (29 Feb 1996), Liam Ó Conchubhair singing Songs of the North of Ireland with Derek Bell (16 Dec 1996), ‘Derek Bell memorial service’, UTV Live (1 Nov 2002), ‘Great music experience’ (n.d.), BBC Golden voices (n.d.), ‘Musical traditions Northern song’ producer Ian Kirk-Smith, BBC, Belfast (n.d.), Liam Ó Conchubhair (30 May 2001); and two commercial Chieftains recordings Live over Ireland : waters from the well (1999) and The long black veil (1995).

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 handwritten and photocopied set lists containing tune and song titles, the key of the piece, the approximate time the piece will take to play, the number of ‘verses’ to be performed and some contain song words. In most cases it is not clear which performance the set list relates to. Includes the set list for the film score Tristan and Isolde [1980].

Original typed letters and newspaper clippings relating to Derek Bell’s composition Variations on the IDB theme ‘Come on Northern Ireland ’. Includes letter from T. L. de Winne, Manager, Ulster Hall, Belfast to Derek Bell telling him that ‘this magnificent, accomplished, clever, witty, topical, pertinent, rousing work is deserving of becoming a Last Night of the Proms ‘standard’’ (1 Jul 1985). However in a subsequent letter he tells Bell that the orchestra refuses to play the Variations ‘on the basis that the work is “too partisan”, and that objections have been raised both by members of the orchestra and the Board of Directors’ (17 Jan 1986); original typescript by Derek Bell of performance guidelines ‘for Jack Thomson - (or the conductor) and Terry de Winne’ [?1987]; and also reviews of Variations … being performed by The Studio Symphony Orchestra in ‘final proms concert’ (15 Jun 1987).

Original typed and photocopied letters, faxes and contracts from various solicitors and copyright agencies to Derek Bell. All material relates to The Chieftains. Includes two letters which relate to the registering of musical works with the Performing Right Society (PRS), London, England and the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO), Dublin. Includes letter from Greg Meagher, PRS, London, England to Derek Bell about registering Derek Bell and Paddy Moloney’s arrangement of ‘The Coolin and Sean Coolin’ with PRS (25 July 1988); also includes letter from Andy Godfrey, Chrysalis Music, Bramley Road, London, England writing on behalf of IMRO to Derek Bell, Bangor and Seán Potts, Dublin ‘regarding some confusion over the song ‘Lonesome’. Two entries exist in the IMRO database for the song ‘one shows Seán Potts as sole arranger and the other shows Seán Potts and Derek Bell as joint arrangers’. Godfrey wants to know ‘which of the two is correct’. (15 July ?)

Original certificates for various nominations and awards received by The Chieftains. Includes Grammy certificates awarded by The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to The Chieftains for the following nominations: the ‘Best ethnic or traditional folk recording, The grey fox album (1983); ‘Best traditional folk recording, Celtic wedding album (1987); ‘Best country instrumental performance ‘Cotton-eyed Joe’ (track from Another country ) (1992); ‘Best pop instrumental performance, ‘Tahitian skies’ (track from Another country )’ (1992); ‘Best country vocal collaboration ‘Killybegs’ (track from Another country )’ (1992); ‘Best traditional folk album, An Irish evening live at the Grand Opera House, Belfast ’ (1992); ‘Best contemporary folk album, Another country ’ (1992); ‘Best contemporary folk album, The long black veil (1995); ‘Best pop collaboration with vocals ‘Have I told you lately that I love you?’ (1995); ‘Best pop instrumental performance ‘An gaoth aneas’ (1997); ‘Best pop collaboration with vocals ‘Shenandoah’ (with Van Morrison) (1998); ‘Best traditional folk album Long journey home ’ (1998); ‘Best country instrumental performance ‘Sally Goodin’ (with Earl Scruggs)’ (2002); ‘Best contemporary folk album Down the old plank road ’ (2002).