Lennox and Freda Berkeley papers

This collection principally comprises papers relating to the life and work of the composer Lennox Berkeley. As well as Lennox's own papers, there are papers of Freda Berkeley and other members of the Berkeley family. The collection is extensive, dating from the 19th century to the present day.

The correspondence files are particularly important and include letters to Lennox and Freda from a wide range of composers, musicians, singers, artists, writers, academics, Roman Catholics, and other figures and members of society. There is also correspondence between Lennox and Freda, and a considerable number of letters from Lennox and Freda to cousin Yvonne Berkeley and family friend Sandy Walton.

Lennox Berkeley's papers also include notes, writings and scripts, personal and appointment diaries, financial and administrative papers, contracts and agreements, royalties papers, awards and honours, and some personal items. There are press reviews and printed articles, including items written by Lennox as well as about him and his work, and also programmes and periodicals.

The collection comprises Lennox Berkeley's published works, as well as various manuscripts and sketches. There is also printed and manuscript music by other composers, some of which are inscribed to Lennox. The numerous photographs show Lennox and Freda Berkeley throughout their lives and also family, friends, musicians and colleagues.

The collection also includes items relating to further members of the Berkeley family, notably papers relating to Michael Berkeley and his work, including press reviews, articles and programmes, and manuscript music by Lennox's aunt Nelly Berkeley.

Lennox Berkeley was born in 1903. He went to Gresham's School, Holt and then to Merton College, Oxford to read modern languages. He had little musical training until 1926 when on Ravel's recommendation he went to study in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, remaining with her for at least six years. During that time he continued to meet Ravel and came to know Milhaud, Stravinsky, Françaix and Poulenc, who became a lifelong friend.

After his return to London in 1935, Berkeley composed Overture, Op. 8 which was performed at the festival of the International Society for Contemporary Music at Barcelona in 1936. There he met Britten, with whom he collaborated in composing Mont Juic, an orchestral suite based on Catalan folk dances. Their friendship endured; they shared a home at the Old Mill, Snape in 1938, and a number of first performances of Berkeley works have taken place at the Aldeburgh Festival of Music and the Arts.

From 1942 to 1945 Berkeley worked as an orchestral programme planner for the BBC, and was also at this time an air-raid warden. His compositions during the war included Serenade for Strings, Op. 12 premiered by the Boyd Neel Orchestra in 1940, the First Symphony, Op. 16 and the orchestral Divertimento, Op. 18. Berkeley married Freda Bernstein in 1946; one of their sons is the composer Michael Berkeley.

After the war, Berkeley turned increasingly to vocal composition. He had been converted to Catholicism whilst in Paris in October 1929, and was drawn to religious texts for his vocal works Four Songs of St Teresa of Avila, Op. 27, written for and sung by Kathleen Ferrier, and Stabat Mater, Op. 28 composed for the English Opera Group, the premiere being conducted by Britten in 1947.

In the 1950s Berkeley became involved with opera. Nelson, Op. 41 was performed at Sadler's Wells in 1954 and his one-act opera A Dinner Engagement, Op. 45 with libretto by Paul Dehn, was premiered by the English Opera Group at the Aldeburgh Festival the same year. The English Opera Group commissioned two further operas from Berkeley; his biblical opera Ruth, Op. 50 (1956) with libretto by Eric Crozier and Castaway, Op. 68 (1967).

Like Britten, Berkeley was stimulated to write works for performers he admired and among these are the Sonatina, Op. 61 and Quartet, Op. 70 composed for the oboist Janet Craxton, works for the piano for Colin Horsley and Guitar Concerto, op. 88 for Julian Bream. Berkeley continued to write for the voice, producing songs and choral music including Four Ronsard Sonnets, Op. 62 for tenor and orchestra, first sung by Peter Pears in 1963, and Mass settings for the Choir of Westminster Cathedral under George Malcolm.

Berkeley taught composition at the Royal Academy of Music from 1946 to 1968, his pupils including David Bedford, Richard Rodney Bennett, William Mathias, Nicholas Maw and John Tavener. He was awarded the CBE in 1957, knighted in 1974 and served as president of the Composers' Guild, the Performing Right Society, the British Music Society and the Cheltenham Festival of Music. Berkeley died in London on 26 December 1989.

Uncatalogued - requires checking before production

This material is made available under the standard conditions of Britten Pears Arts. Readers will be required to produce proof of identity and to sign a Reader's Undertaking form.

The collection is uncatalogued; there are preliminary lists of accessions 7442, 8684 and 9379 (lists 115, 136 and 149).

All reference numbers are provisional and may change when the collection is catalogued.

Compiled by Judith Tydeman, with biography based on obituaries from the national press.

Deposited by Lady Berkeley and The Lennox Berkeley Estate, October 2003 and June 2009 (accessions 7442, 7685, 8684 and 9379).

In Britten's and Pears's correspondence there are letters from Lennox Berkeley to Britten 1936-1974, and from Britten to Lennox 1939-1972. There are also letters from Michael Berkeley to Britten 1959-1976, and transcripts and photocopies of letters from Britten to Michael 1959-1977.

See also the Michael Berkeley papers (collection reference BKM) for Michael's music manuscripts, correspondence, photographs and further items.