ABSTRACT
Jaeger's efforts to encourage foreign performances were beginning to pay off, and he had been deeply gratified to leam just that day that Buths would play the Variations at Dusseldorf in February. 'So there! first performance in Germany in Nimrod's native place. I'm so glad,' he wrote, and suggested that the composer attend. He sent thanks to Alice for lending him Piers Plowman, the medieval poem which had been Elgar's reading during work on the Cockaigne Overture. It had been studied during odd moments at home and on the daily tube journey to the office; presumably Jaeger's gift for languages had helped him to cope with its peculiarites of metre, language and orthography. But in terms of his scant leisure, it had taken second place to the delight he found in his daughter. TtelightfulBook. I read it in 2d. Toobe night & morning, & here when not writing letters or playing with our darling Babe. She is our greatest Happiness. Such a sunny child!'4
