Collection Description
Mayer, Sir Robert, 1879-
Note: The collection includes a green index volume with notes by Peter
Bander on the formation and the contents of the collection (Box 4, F.7).
The alpha letter at the end of most files descriptions refers to that
section of Mr. Bander's index.
BOX 1 Correspondence and Photographs
Correspondence:
F.1 Sir Robert Mayer to Colin Smythe 1965-1974. 4 Pc.s, 23 ALs, 4 Tls.
F.2 Sir Robert Mayer to Peter Bander (includes all correspondence addressed
to both P.B. and C.S.). 1965-976. 11 Pc.s, 75 ALs, 6 TLs.
F.3 Sir Robert to Lord Eccles.
2 draft copies of letter in manuscript, and one printed copy, dated
28 June 1971. W
F.4 Companion of Honour
correspondence between Sir Robert, Peter Bander and Robert Armstrong
concerning
Sir Robert being named a Companion of Honour. 1971. V
F.5 Double Concerto
correspondence between Colin Smythe Ltd., Henry Raynor, and Sir Robert
concerning the proposed biography 1968-1972. Y
publishing agreement for proposed biography, 19 Feb. 1967
F.6 Lady Mayer to Colin Smythe, undated, 1965-1973 14 Pc.s, 12 ALs,
14 TLs.
F.7 Lady Mayer to Peter Bander (includes letters addressed to both Bander
and Smythe) undated, 1966-1973 6 Pc.s, 15 ALs, 12 TLs.
F.8 Correspondence to Sir Robert and Lady Mayer:
1 card from Buckingham Palace. T
1 anonymous card to Lady Mayer. AH
Photographs:
F.9 27 photographs, labeled. E
F.10 3 photographs:
the Mayer brothers
the Mayer brothers with their mother;
Isaac Seligman (signed). L
F.11 5 photographs of Sir Robert during and after his lecture at the
Institute for Recorded Sound
photograph of Sir Robert and Lady Mayer in Italy
Arnold Bax (signed)
Carl Flesch (signed)
Caricatures:
F.12 copies of 3 caricatures of Adrian Boult, Gustav Holst, and one
unidentified (signed by the subjects).
Oversize photographs:
Also, a large photograph of a dinner held at the Savoy Hotel, 2 April
1933 in honour of the Tenth Anniversary of the Robert Mayer Concerts
for Children and framed black and white photograph of Mayer with Queen
Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Location: Map cabinet 7.
BOX 2 Manuscripts
F.1 Sir Robert Mayer, original drafts of speeches and messages. AG
F.2 Sir Robert Mayer, original draft of document concerning takeover
of the Robert Mayer Concerts by the B.B.C. X
F.3 Transcript of speech by Sir Robert and Lady Mayer on Twenty-fifth
Anniversary of the Robert Mayer Concerts. K4
F.4 Campbell-Orde Lecture 1972, original draft and final printed copy
of lecture by Sir Robert Mayer. AE
F.5 My First Hundred Years by Sir Robert Mayer 1971. Original draft,
amendments and corrections of speech given at Institute of Recorded
Sound. 3 December 1971. Also 3 copies of published version of speech.
AF
F6. Lady Mayer ms. notes by Lady Mayer on Queen Victoria. AG
Guest books of Sir Robert and Lady Mayer:
original copy 1931-1944
photocopy 1922-1946
photocopy 1946-1967 M
BOX 3 Transcripts
"Double Concerto":
one large notebook of autobiographical notes dictated by Sir Robert
Mayer in October 1960 and transcribed. Dated March 1967. (Note: The
notebook is shelved in Map Cabinet 7).
"Double Concerto": transcripts of interviews with Sir Robert and Lady
Mayer taped by Peter Bander. Some of the transcripts have been corrected
and annotated by Sir Robert. 6 volumes.
BOX 4 Biography
F.1 Henry Raynor, first draft of biography of Sir Robert Mayer, proposed
as "Double Concerto"
F.2 Henry Raynor, additional chapters of the biography
F.3 Henry Raynor, alterations and additions to his typescript by Sir
Robert and Lady Mayer.
F.4 Charles Reid. Fifty Years of Robert Mayer Concerts, manuscript and
typescript notes and drafts. AA
F.5 Charles Reid. Fifty Years of Robert Mayer Concerts, final proofs
and printed copies of the pamphlet. AA
F.6 Eternal Youth and Music, uncorrected proof and publication announcements
F.7 Index to the collection compiled by Peter Bander.
BOX 5
F.1 Robert Mayer Concerts programmes 1970-1974
F.2 Robert Mayer Concerts, Golden Jubilee Programmes 1973 (see also
Ode to Music)
F.3 Sir Robert Mayer 90th Birthday Concert, includes programme, table
plan, menu, invitation, cards of congratulation, and list of suggested
guests. D
F.4 Fanfare for Europe. 13 January 1973 (concert held to celebrate Britain's
entry into the Common Market) posters, programmes, invitations, menu,
table plan, official programme book, and correspondence concerning the
plans for the concert. S
F.5 Robert Mayer Concerts, list of school subscribers
F.6 Youth and Music Concerts, Programmes 1970-1973, 1975, Posters 1971,
1972
F.7 Youth and Music News, June 1970 (no. 25) to June 1973 (no. 35)
F.8 Youth and Music, applications, leaflets and posters about the organization
F. 9 Sir Robert Mayer, copies of interviews, honourary degree programmes,
etc.
F10. Sir Robert Mayer, copies of press clippings
Ode to Music
copy number five of Ode to Music, composed by Malcolm Williamson with
lyrics by Ursula Vaughan Williams. This piece was commissioned for the
Golden Jubilee of the Robert Mayer Concerts and was presented 3 February
1973. (Shelved in Map Cabinet drawer 7.)
Audio reels and cassettes
The collection contains 23 audio reels and cassettes, which are stored
in 16L
The contents of the tapes are as follows:
1 Sir Robert Mayer interview on early life 1879-1919. 19 March 1967
(3-¾)
2 Sir Robert Mayer interview on early life 1879-1919. (continued) (cassette)
3 Sir Robert and Lady Mayer 4 March 1967
interview on the 1920s and Robert Mayer Concerts (3- )
4 Sir Robert and Lady Mayer 4 March 1967
interview on period up to 1939, and also Sir Robert on concerts. 5 March
1967 (3- )
5 Sir Robert on life in the United States and Social work in the 1950s.
5 March 1967. (Side 1: 3-¾, Side 2: 1- )
6 Lady Mayer, interview on life and musical career up to 1939. 5 March
1967 (3-¾)
7 Lady Mayer, interview on people in consultation with her guest book.
5 March 1967. (3-¾ & 1- )
8 Sir Robert Mayer, interview on children's concerts and work on Youth
and Music. 10 and 11 March 1967. (cassette)
9 Sir Robert Mayer, interview on opera, ballet, concerts, contemporary
composers. 11 March 1967. (cassette)
10 Sir Robert Mayer interview. 21 March 1967 (cassette)
11 Sir Robert Mayer interview on his likes and dislikes. n.d. (cassette)
12 Sir Robert Mayer interview on his wishes for education in the 70s.
n.d. (cassette)
13 Lady Mayer interview on the war years in America 1939-1944 and on
personalities. 6 May 1967 (cassette)
14 Lady Mayer interview on personalities. 6 May 1967 (cassette)
15 Lady Mayer interview. n.d. (cassette)
16 Lady Mayer interview on work in Ireland from 1949 onwards. Side 2
on Ceylon and India. 7 June 1967 (cassette)
17 Lady Mayer interview- continuation of interview on Ceylon. 7 June
1967 (cassette)
18 Sir Robert Mayer on receipt of Doctor in Law (Honoris Causa) at University
of Leeds. n.d. (cassette)
19 Golden Jubilee Concert. 3 February 1973 (cassette)
20 Lady Mayer lecture "A Victorian Childhood" given at Cambridge Institute
of Education. 6 March 1968 (cassette)
21 Copy of speech by Mme Milhaud, in French, at the British Institute
of Recorded Sound. (3-¾)
22 Sir Robert Mayer interview recorded 13, 14 and 15 March 1976. (3-¾)
23 Sir Robert Mayer Golden Jubilee Test Tape.
Audio Discs
The collection contains the following discs: (Location: Map Cabinet
7)
1 Silver Jubilee. 2 copies. (33- )
2 Unidentified record. Germany 1946. (played from inside to outside)
3 Unidentified record. Germany 1946. (played from inside to outside)
490th Birthday Concert. June 5,1969. (33- ). (one of five private recordings)
5 Robert Mayer Concert. Trevor Harvey conducting. date unknown. Sides
3 and 4 only.
(33- )
6 String Quartet by Brian Boydell dedicated to Lady Mayer. 1956. (33-
)
7 Jeunesses Musicales. Rossini, Dvorak, Stravinsky conducted by Karel
Ancerl. First record made by Jeunesses Musicales. Sir Robert was World
President.
