Autograph manuscript of Eric Coates (1886-1957), composer, 1906

The collection contains autograph fair copies of three songs with pianoforte accompaniment for mezzo soprano, composed by Eric Coates. The manuscripts contain musical score and corresponding lyrics written on printed score paper. The songs are numbers one to three of Opus 10. According to annotations to the manuscript, the songs were inspired by 'My love is like the red red rose', 'The winter it is past' and 'The Bonnie Wee Thing', poems of Robert Burns (1759-1796). They were composed for and dedicated to Lavirina (Vinnie) Inman. The manuscripts record that the songs were composed in June 1906.

Eric Coates was born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire in 1886. He studied violin and composition in Nottingham and then, at the age of 20, gained a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London. There he studied composition under Frederick Corder, and viola with Lionel Tertis. After leaving the Royal Academy, Coates joined the Beecham Symphony Orchestra and then the Queen's Hall Orchestra, under Sir Henry Wood, for whom he became principal viola from 1911 to 1919. Coates married Phyllis Black in 1913 and they had one son, Austin.

The illness neuritis barred Coates from involvement in the first world war and, ultimately, from playing the viola. He concentrated then upon composition and conducting and his most famous pieces include 'Sleepy Lagoon' and 'The Merrymakers Overture'. He wrote the 'Meadows to Mayfair' suite tracing his life from Nottinghamshire to London. He also wrote a separate London suite, a four centuries suite and several concert waltzes. Coates received popular acclaim in 1955 with his composition for the film, The Dambusters. He died in 1957.

The scores have been arranged by opus number.

ACCESS: Accessible to all registered readers.

LANGUAGE: English

This description is the only finding aid available for the collection. Copyright in the description belongs to The University of Nottingham.

REPROGRAPHIC: Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

COPYRIGHT: Permission to make published use of any material from this collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). The Department will try to assist in identifying copyright owners but this can be difficult and the responsibility for copyright clearance before publication ultimately rests with the person wishing to publish.

The collection was acquired by The University of Nottingham's Music Library and transferred to the university's Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections in December 1998.