Paris-Manchester 1918
Conservatoires in time of war

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The Handel things I principally hoped would help me to “think chorally”, as I can in a measure think in German, etc. and in wind-instrument and pianoforte music, the quartet would, I thought, help me to think in “string-passage work”, and thus the “furies” or other compositions would be scored in a more animated and lively manner, without some of the players and singers doing mere automation fill-up work (like the actions of opera chorus folk!).  The different scores you sent have, I think, produced a very great improvement, although of actual composition there has been practically none for months. 

I am now much more at home with that late Beethoven quartet than I used to be, no doubt your piloting of me through the “Diabelli Variations” is one of the reasons for this.  The anniversary of my arrest I celebrated by initialing for the arrival of 4 new books which include “Beloved Vagabond”. I so often think that if one of us has the misfortune to survive the other, whichever it is will look back on these days and long for their return.  It is a truly staggering thought.