THE SUNDAY TIMES

ESTABLISHED 1822

KEMSLEY HOUSE,

Telegrams: "SUNDAY TIMES," HOLB, LONDON.

LONDON, W. C. I.

Telephone: TERMINUS 1234.

September 29, 1954

Herbert van Thal Esq.,
Arthur Barker Ltd.,
30, Museum Street,
W.C.1.

My dear Bertie:

Between ourselves, I thought it best to have an off-the-record
talk with Mrs. Newman; she is a very intelligent woman, and can read
the Master's mind like a book. She is very excited about the idea,
and thus removes my one worry, that, when we came to the point, we
might find that Ernest had gone sour on the whole idea.

We can therefore go ahead as arranged. But I would like to make
one proviso. It is that you allow us to nominate Felix Aprahamian as
our representative, and that the choice of subjects and authors is
made in consultation with him. At the same time, it would be understood
that your name appeared alone on the book as editor. If you would like
to have a preliminary talk with Felix before you say Yes to this, just
let me know. Or if you see the remotest objection to the suggestion,
again let me know. Myself, I am sure you will find that Felix will be
a tower of strength to you, and that the whole thing will go forward
smoothly.

In any case, it might be best to give me a ring, in the afternoon,
when you have digested this letter. I certainly feel happy about
everything, if you do.

If you should feel that we can now go ahead, I will, on hearing
from you, send you a formal letter setting forth the understanding
we have arrived at and all the rest of it.

Yours in great haste,

Sunday Times

ESTABLISHED 1822

KEMSLEY HOUSE, LONDON, W.C.I.

Telegrams: "SUNDAY TIMES, HOLB, LONDON. Telephone: TERMINUS 1234.

October 21, 1954

Dear Bertie:

Thank you very much for your letter. It is understood that:
(1) our commitment in the Ernest Newman book is limited to £250,
and that this sum is to be used to defray the cost of contributions;

(2) it is to be edited by you in consultation with Felix Aprahamian;

(3) the design of the book is to be a matter of joint consultation
between your firm and THE SUNDAY TIMES; and that you for your
part guarantee that it will be a first-class piece of book production,
with good paper and binding;

(4) you guarantee that the book will appear in time for Ernest
Newman's 87th birthday on November 30, 1955.

You yourself raise two points. On the first, I can't say yet
whether we would prefer a joint imprint or be satisfied with a
mention of THE SUNDAY TIMES on the title page, in some such context
as "Ernest Newman of THE SUNDAY TIMES". I take it that we are free
to make up our own minds about this.

On the second point, I quite agree with you about the Foreword,
and will discuss that later on with Lord Kemsley. Will you give
me a reminder in the New Year?

For the rest, it is agreed, isn't it, that Robert Harling is
to design the book? I suppose that you should make provision for
one block, probably the Douglas Glass portrait of Ernest.

Do let me know if there is anything I have omitted.

THE SUNDAY TIMES

ESTABLISHED 1822

KEMSLEY HOUSE, LONDON, W. C. I.

Telegrams: "SUNDAY TIMES," HOLB, LONDON. Telephone: TERMINUS 1234.

February 26, 1955

My dear Bertie:

I will resist the temptation of going over all the old ground again, and merely say that I would never have put up the idea if I had thought that there was any misunderstanding about our being paid a royalty. It is not the money involved -- if your idea of the sales is correct, we are wrangling now about something, probably, less than £50. It is that I would never subscribe to the idea, on behalf of THE SUNDAY TIMES or myself, of signing away a book completely. I have done it myself in the past, and regretted it; and I see no reason why I should do it now.

I therefore propose that you pay us a 7½¢ royalty on the first 2,000 and 10¢ thereafter.

Now, one result of our wrangle is that I shall have to report soon on the progress of the book. Will you therefore let me have (1) a list of contributors and their contributions, with the fee paid to each; (2) a note about anything you are expecting from me, together with a mention of any problems still outstanding, such as the portrait?

You mentioned, in an earlier letter, the three Beecham articles which we published. I certainly don't think that these should be included in a book of original contributions -- the gilt is off that gingerbread. In any case, one of them consists of a violent attack on music critics, and it seemed to me curious at the time that, since he was writing in THE SUNDAY TIMES, Beecham did not go out of his way to except Ernest Newman. Ah well! Myself, I think there will be only one thing to be done about the Beecham problem. If he has been approached once, we should approach him again; and if nothing happens then, we should let him go.

I will expect the details from you as soon as you can manage it.