Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji letters, 1942-1977

Collection

Identifier: Sorabji

Staff Only
No requestable containers

Scope and Contents

Kaikhosru Shaburji Sorabji (1892-1988) was an English-Parsi composer and music critic active for the majority of the 20th century. Sorabji wrote many letters to his admirers and patrons from his home “The Eye” in Corfe Castle, Dorset where he secluded himself from 1956.

This collection primarily consists of letters from Kairkhosru Shapurji Sorabji to Baron Arnold von Stromer Hartzhorn and express his views on music, broadcasting, academia, and his contemporaries. Sorabji also spends considerable time speaking on religion (Sorabji was a Parsi Zoroastrian) and especially Catholicism including several clippings of both his own and others writing in The Catholic Herald. Later letters touch on Sorabji’s ban on the performance of his work and his sensitivity to its recording. Attached clippings and articles are frequently annotated by Sorabji.

Dates

1942-1977

Creator

Sorabji, Kaikhosru Shapurji, 1892-1988 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research

Biographical / Historical

Kaikhosru Shaburji Sorabji (1892-1988) (born Leon Dudley) was an English-Parsi composer and music critic active for the majority of the 20th century. After a particularly poor performance of his work in March 1936, Sorabji restricted or even outright banned the public performance of his compositions until granting permission to Yonty Solomon in 1976. Sorabji was well known as a vicious critic and frequent contributor to numerous publications in the form of open letters.

Sorabji wrote many letters to his admirers and patrons from his home “The Eye” in Corfe Castle, Dorset where he secluded himself from 1956 until his death.

Extent

1 box (.5 AB)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Kaikhosru Shaburji Sorabji (1892-1988) was an English-Parsi composer and music critic active for the majority of the 20th century. This collection of letters between Kaikhosru Sorabji and Baron Arnold Hartzhorn are primarily from February 1950 to August 1966 and discuss opinions on music, music criticism, religion, and briefly touching on the personal life of Sorabji. This collection is one archival box.