Original and photocopied newspaper clippings with reviews of Derek Bell’s performances, the majority dating from 1970 to 1986 from various publications including the Belfast telegraph, Ballymena observer, The Times [London, England], News letter [Belfast], Brunswick news [Georgia, United States of America], Irish times [Dublin] and the Orcadian, [Orkney, Scotland]. The majority of the reviews are from the Belfast telegraph and are written by ‘Rathcol’.
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].
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.
This series contains music papers, financial documents, religious papers, family history material as well as material relating to Derek Bell’s death. The files within the series have been arranged chronologically. Within this series there are three files and two subseries. The first subseries, ‘Music Papers’, has been divided into four files. The first contains papers relating to his music education in the Royal College of Music, London, England and Trinity College Dublin, as well as material relating to teaching and the study of composition. The remaining three files contain papers about the musical instruments played by Bell during his solo, orchestral and ensemble career - the piano, the pedal and Irish harp, the oboe, cimbalom [dulcimer] and heckelphone. Receipts and financial documents relating to touring with The Chieftains and the purchase of musical instruments can also be found in this series. The second subseries contains religious papers mostly dating from the 1990s. This subseries is divided into three files, the first relates to the guru Gideon Fontalba and the second and third relate to Bell’s interactions with two spiritual organisations the Church of Self Realization and Arcane School, London, England. The two remaining files in this series contain papers relating to family history research into the Bell family and material acquired by Bell’s widow, Stefanie Bell, after his death in 2002.
This series contains photographs taken throughout Bell’s career in music. The images are of Bell performing solo, with orchestras, with other performers as well as with The Chieftains. There are a small number of photographs of other musicians and singers. Also included in this series are a number of drawings given to Bell by children and fans.
Black & white and colour photographs of Derek Bell. Includes professional photographs taken for publicity purposes. Many photographs feature Bell with musical instruments including the pedal and Irish harp, oboe and dulcimer; also includes photographs of Bell receiving his MBE from Queen Elizabeth II (19 June 2000).
Black & white and colour photographs of Derek Bell with other musicians and singers. Professional as well as amateur photographs. Includes photographs of Bell performing in orchestras and with other soloist; includes photograph of Derek Bell with Art Garfunkel [April 1976]; and photograph of Derek Bell and James Donald Walters [c.1996].
Black & white and colour photographs of The Chieftains. Includes professional and publicity photographs as well as amateur photographs. There are some images of The Chieftains performing but the majority are posed portrait shots. Includes a number of photographs taken by Marian van de Veen of The Chieftains in concert in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Jan 1986); publicity photographs for The long black veil (1995); and a colour photograph taken of The Chieftains in New York, United States of America by Michael Brennan (2001).
Includes Irish times article by Charles Acton ‘A Schumann mystery’ (14 May 1979); concert programme for pianist Carlo Grante’s performance in Wigmore Hall, London, England (9 June 1996); copy of a drawing of pianist Leopold Godowsky; and photograph of concert pianist [Arthur Rubenstein].
