Guide to the Papers of Frederick Septimus Kelly
MS 3095
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Kelly, Frederick Septimus, 1881-1916
- Title
- Papers of Frederick Septimus Kelly
- Date Range
- 1893 - 1926
- Collection Number
- MS 3095
- Extent
- 1.40 metres (5 folio boxes)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Special Collections (Manuscripts)
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The collection comprises fourteen bound volumes of manuscript music scores and a number of unbound manuscript music scores (items 15-55) in Kelly's hand and early published works of Kelly (items 55-61).
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is available for reference.
Conditions Governing Use
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred Citation
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Frederick Septimus Kelly, National Library of Australia, MS 3095, [item number]'.
Provenance
The papers were acquired from Kelly's niece, Beatrice McPhillamy, in 1974.
Related Materials
Diaries of Kelly (1906-1916) are held in the Library's Manuscript Collection at MS 6050.
Arrangement
The bound volumes have been listed first. The unbound manuscript scores have been listed by title, where provided, or by general description.
Biographical Note
Musician, oarsman and soldier. Frederick Septimus Kelly was born in Sydney on 29 May 1881, the seventh child of Thomas Hussey Kelly and Mary Ann née Dick. After a short time at Sydney Grammar School, Kelly went to Eton in 1893. He had an early talent for music and at Eton was taught piano by Dr Charles Harford Lloyd. Antoine Francois Marmontel, renowned professor of piano at the Paris Conservatory, offered to teach Kelly for free if he would devote himself to music, but his parents were against the idea. In 1900 Kelly came up to Balliol College, Oxford, as a Lewis Nettleship Musical Scholar, graduating in 1903 with fourth-class honours in history. While at Oxford, he studied music under (Sir) Donald Tovey.
After leaving Oxford, Kelly became more and more absorbed in music and in 1903-1908 studied piano under Ernst Engesser and composition and counterpoint with Ivan Torr at the Hoch Konservatorium, Frankfurt, Germany. He also maintained a home in England with his sister, Mary (Maisie), at Bisham Grange, Marlow.
In 1911, Kelly visited Sydney where he gave three solo recitals and two chamber concerts. On his return to London, he gave recitals, played chamber music and performed in a concert with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir George Henschel. In 1912, Kelly was appointed Chair of the Classical Concert Society, London.
During his time at Eton, Kelly proved himself to be an outstanding oarsman. He went on to achieve numerous victories in England as a sculler and was a member of the British eights crew that won the gold medal at the 1908 Olympic Games in London.
In September 1914, Kelly obtained a commission as a sub-lieutenant in the Drake Battalion of the Royal Naval Division. He later transferred to the Hood Battalion, in which he enjoyed the company of Rupert Brooke, Charles Lister, Patrick Shaw Stewart, Denis Browne and others. He saw service at Gallipoli, for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross and in France. Kelly was killed at Beaucourt-sur-Ancre on 13 November 1916, leading an attack on a German machine-gun emplacement.
Biographical Reference(s)
Balliol College War Memorial book 1914-1919. Balliol College (University of Oxford), 1924.
Australian dictionary of biography. Vol. 9
Item Descriptions
Bound volume of manuscript music scores, 1905-1913 (Item 1) - Box 1
'Introduction & fugue', 1905. Critical comments in German and alterations in pencil; 'Orchestral suite IV: Introduction and fugue', 1906. Second edition, Frankfurt. Conductor's fair copy score with entries marked in colour; Theme, variations & fugue for two pianos, Op 5, 1907. Revised 1911. Dedication 'To my two masters Professors Iwan Knorr and Ernst Engesser'. Marked for publisher, with proof-corrections in red ink. Annotated 'Copyright Schott & Co. London, 1913'. (See also item 58)
Bound volume of manuscript music scores, 1906 (Item 2) - Box 1
'Scherzo in C minor', nd. For full orchestra - incomplete; 'Elegy', nd. Full score; 'Intermezzo', 1906. (See also volume 3)
Bound volume of manuscript music scores for 'Orchestral suite in E flat' (two of four movements, see also items 15-17), 1906 (Item 3) - Box 1
I 'Allegro con brio', 1906. Conductor's score, marked for performance; III 'Intermezzo - allegretto grazioso', 1906. (See also volume 2)
Bound volume of manuscript music scores, 1901-1913 (Item 4) - Box 1
'Cadenza to Beethoven's Concerto in G Major', Op 58, nd. First movement, unfinished (see also volume 8); Sketches for etudes, 1909, 1912 and 1913; 'Pianoforte sonata in F minor', 1913; 'Study No. 122 in D minor', 1913. Annotated 'Idea dating from March 1913, Bisham Grange, Marlow'.
Bound volume of manuscript music scores (Item 5) - Box 1
'Bisham waltzes', nd. Piano, four hands; 'Balliol dances', nd. Sketches of fourteen dances for piano, four hands. Includes undated letter from Donald Tovey to Kelly. Includes untitled sketch of 'Suite' for orchestra 1st movement, in piano score, incomplete. Includes photocopies of 'Cycle of lyrics,' numbers 1-5, for piano.
Bound volume of manuscript music scores, 1909-1916 (Item 6) - Box 2
Sketch for Green grow the rushes oh; harp part for 'Elegy in memoriam Rupert Brooke ', for string orchestra and harp, 1916 (See also items 18 and 61); 'Theme for orchestral variations, preceded by an introduction,' aka 'The Somme Lament', piano score, 1916; 'Waltz-pageant', nd. Piano, four hands (secondo part) and bass part for sixteen waltzes. Untitled sketches of duet for violin and viola in four movements, c1909. Includes fragments of: 'Elegy and Pageant'; piano duet in D minor; piano pieces (1908-9); 'Piano sonata'; 'String trio'; 'March' for voice and piano; 'Mirrors' for voice and piano.
Bound volume of manuscript music scores, 1911 (Item 7) - Box 2
'Trio in B minor for violin, viola and violoncello', 1911; 'Trio in B flat for piano, violin and violoncello', nd. I - Sonata form, II - Scherzo (incomplete). (See also volume 9).
Three books of manuscript music scores of songs, bound into one volume, 1909-1913 (Item 8) - Box 2
Book 1: 'March, Op. 6 no. 1,' (1910); 'Mirrors' (1910); 'Fulfilment' (1910); 'Harvest eve' (1910); 'The sages' dance, Op.6 no. 2' (1910); 'The pride of youth' (1910); 'Away! the moor is dark beneath the moon' (1910); 'To the daisy' (1910); 'The daffodils, Op. 6 no.6' (1910).
Book 2: autograph score of 'Six songs, Op. 6' (March, The sages' dance, Weep you no more, Sad fountains (1909) (marked to be omitted), Music, When soft voices die (1910), To the daisy (marked to be omitted), The daffodils, The cherry tree (1913), When the lamp is shattered (1910-13)).
Book 3: sketches for 'Away! the moor is dark beneath the moon'; song with text 'O nightingale, thou surely art a creature of a fiery heart'; 'March'; 'Music, when soft voices die'; 'Away! the moor is dark beneath the moon'; 'When the lamp is shattered'; 'The pride of youth'; 'The daffodils'; 'Song to the Evening Star' (1910); 'A slumber did my spirit steal' (1910); 'Lord Ullin's daughter' for piano and male chorus; untitled song with text 'When dreaming of thy' (1912); 'Rosabelle', work for voice and orchestra (1913); song 'The soldier's dream' (1913); song 'Prospice'; song 'Threnos'; "The summer is ended'; 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci'; 'Infant joy' (1913); 'Earl march'; 'In drear nighted December' (1913); complete scores of cadenzas for 1st and 3rd movements of 'Piano concerto no.4' by Beethoven; complete score of 'A cradle Song' (1913).
Bound volume of manuscript music scores (Item 9) - Box 2
'String trio in B minor', IV movement. For violin, viola and violoncello. Annotated in pencil, revised and corrected by Sir Donald Tovey. (See also volume 7)
Bound volume of manuscript music scores, 1908 (Item 10) - Box 2
'A cycle of lyrics for the pianoforte', Op.4, nd. (See also item 55); 'It was a lover and his lass', 1908. Six-part round with words by Francis Beaumont; miscellaneous sketches include fragments of 'Theme, variations and fugue, Op. 5'; duet for violin and viola; 'Reminiscence' from 'Cycle of lyrics'.
Bound volume of manuscript music scores, 1905-1912 (Item 11) - Box 3
'Sonata for violin and pianoforte', nd., Oxford; Studies for the pianoforte, 1909-1912, England and Australia. (See also item 13); Sketches, apparently written during Kelly's travels in 1906-1907. Some refer to 'ideas' from 1905-1906. He notes his mode of travel (usually ship) and location (from Frankfurt to the Bay of Bengal to China and Japan). Includes a work called 'Burmese [five?]', written for a 'circular instrument with bells [gongs?] played with a stick by a man sitting in the middle' [Kyi-waing?]. Includes sketch for 'Irish Rhapsody'; sketch for 'Theme, variations and fugue, Op. 5'; Complete drafts of 'Etude no. 12'; 'Cycle of Lyrics' (numbers 2, 4 and 6); untitled piano piece in Bb minor; 'There be none of Beauty's daughters' for voice and piano; untitled piano piece in C# minor; 'Allegro de concert' for piano; untitled piano piece in B minor; untitled piano piece in F# minor.
Bound volume of manuscript music scores, 1914 (Item 12) - Box 3
'Aghadoe', Irish ballad for contralto and orchestra, Op. 1, No. 2, 1914; 'Serenade for flute', Op 7, 1914. Arrangement for flute and pianoforte. Annotated 'Copy for publishers Schott & Co.'.
Bound volume of manuscript music scores, 1913 (Item 13) - Box 3
'12 studies for pianoforte, Op. 9'. Dedicated to Leonard Borwick. 1913. (See also item 19); 'Waltzer für zwei Klavier', aka. 'Waltz pageant, Op. 2b,'nd. 16 pieces.
Bound volume of manuscript music scores, 1898-1916 (Item 14) - Box 3
'Sonata in F minor for pianoforte', 1916 (includesing drafts of movements 1 and 2, and a fragment of movement 3); 'Violin and pianoforte sonata in D minor', 1901; 'Allegro de concert', Op. 3, 1908. (Copyright Schott & Co., 1913); 'Irish air with variations', 1898.
'Elegy for string orchestra and harp' (Item 18) - Box 5
Two full sets of orchestral parts and photocopy of full score. Annotated 'In memoriam Rupert Brooke'. (See also volume 6 and item 61)
'Twelve studies for the pianoforte, Op. 9', ca. 1916 (Item 19) - Box 5
Incomplete score - lacks pages 23-46. Includes full scores for numbers 1-3 and 10-12 and parts of studies 4 (pages 19-22) and 9 (page 47). Dedcicated 'To Leonard Borwick'. (See also volume 13) Annotated 'This copy is very inaccurate F.S. Kelly, May 4. 1916.'
'24 monographs for pianoforte solo, Op. 11', ca. 1916 (Item 20) - Box 5
Complete score. Annotated 'To Dr. C. H. Lloyd'.
Untitled score, the first line of which reads 'Sleep, O sleep, fond fancy' (Item 23) - Box 5
Song for treble voice.
Untitled four part song, the first line of which reads 'Let not the sluggish sleep' (Item 24) - Box 5
Untitled page of score, the first stanza of which has the annotation 'Thir a bata' (Item 26) - Box 5
Untitled score for a song, the first line of which reads 'Weep you no more sad fountains', 1909 (Item 29) - Box 5
Untitled score for a hymn, the first line of which reads 'O Lord have mercy...', 1898 (Item 32) - Box 5
Also contains complete score of unison song 'Eton and Winchester', also known as 'Though Itchen flows apart from Thames'.
Untitled score for a song, the first line of which reads 'Music when soft voices die', 1896 (Item 33) - Box 5
Words by P.B. Shelley.
Score annotated 'First examination for the degree of Bachelor in Music' (Item 34) - Box 5
Also contains two rounds: 'Shake off your heavy trance' for 6 voices; 'Why, let the stricken deer go weep' for 4 voices.
Works for piano duet and solo piano, 1912 (Item 37) - Box 5
Piano duets numbered 1-11, 4, 13, 12, 15 and 16 (from 'Waltz pageant, Op. 2b). Additional piece for piano duet numbered 9 is annotated 'Revised Bisham waltzes. See diary. March 3. 1912.' Additional numbered pieces for piano duet follow: 11, 15. Includes three pieces for solo piano: 'Moderato'; 'Brillante'; untitled.
Untitled score for a piece for French horn, violin, viola and piano, 1904 (Item 40) - Box 5
Also includes untitled fragment of score of 'Intermezzo' from 'Suite' for orchestra; untitled complete score of work for cor anglais and piano.
Untitled score for piano (Item 45) - Box 5
Untitled score is a fragment of 'Piano Sonata in F minor' from Frankfurt, not to be confused with the 'Piano Sonata in F minor' of 1915-15.
Untitled fragments of scores (Item 46) - Box 5
Score fragments include 'Piano Trio in B flat major'; also contains complete untitled work for violin and piano marked 'Andante'.
Untitled fragments of scores (Item 50) - Box 5
Contains several fragments, including part of a string quartet.
Untitled fragments of scores (Item 52) - Box 5
Fragments include incomplete piano duets and 'Suite' for orchestra
Fragments include incomplete piano duets and 'Suite' for orchestra.
Untitled single page fragments of scores (Item 54) - Box 5
Includes complete score of untitled work for piano marked 'Moderato'.
A cycle of lyrics for pianoforte solo, 'Lament' (Op. 4, No. 1), 1910 (Item 55) - Box 5
Published by B. Schott's Söhne, Mainz, 1910. (See also volume 10).
Two songs. 'Shall I compare thee?' (Op. 1, No. 1)., 1912 (Item 56) - Box 5
Dedicated to M.A.K. Published by Schott & Co., London, 1912.
Two songs. 'Aghadoe' (Op. 1, No. 2), 1912 (Item 57) - Box 5
Dedicated to Miss Muriel Foster. Published by Schott & Co., London, 1912.
Theme variations and fugue for two pianos, Op. 5, 1913 (Item 58) - Box 5
Dedicated to Professors Iwan Knorr and Ernst Engesser. Published by Schott & Co., London, 1913. (See also volume 1).
Six songs, Opus 6, 1913 (Item 59) - Box 5
March (Op. 6, No. 1); The sages' dance (Op. 6, No. 2); When the lamp is shattered (Op. 6, No. 3); Music, when soft voices die (Op. 6, No. 4); The cherry tree (Op. 6, No. 5) and The daffodils (Op. 6, No.6). Dedicated to Gervase Elwes. Published by Schott & Co., London, 1913. (See also volume 8).
Two organ preludes, 1925 (Item 60) - Box 5
Dedicated to Sir Walter Parrat and C.H. Lloyd. Published by Edwin Ashdown, London, 1925.
Elegy for string orchestra, 1926 (Item 61) - Box 5
Full score and orchestral parts. In memoriam Rupert Brooke. Published by Edwin Ashdown, London, 1926. (See also volume 6 and item 18).
'In May', 1895 (Item 62) - Box 5
Music score (Eton, 1895), written when Kelly was 14. Copy has annotation on cover 'To Mrs. Wallace Mort with Mary A. Kelly's love.' Partial annotation visible in top right corner of front cover, dated 1896. Published by W. H. Paling & Co., Sydney. Includes letter signed 'Eunice, 4-X-61.'