ABSTRACT
After Christmas Elgar undertook another American visit, with performances of the The Apostles, The Kingdom and the Enigma Variations. The printing of the Kingdom full score was under way at Novello's, no longer under Jaeger's eye; the proofs were given to Elgar just before his American departure by Harold Brooke, a Littleton nephew who had been moved around the Firm in order to take up some of the work of the Publishing Department. And after a Christmas at Muswell Hill spent 'as happy as a sandboy', Jaeger also resumed his travels, returning again to Davos. Once there his condition worsened considerably; he was confined to bed with a fever and was even forbidden to speak for a time, a real hardship to such a man. Despite a course of injections,3 there was continued confirmation of the presence of tuberculosis in throat and lungs, to add to Jaeger's financial anxieties and his worries over his family's future and the condition of his elderly mother. Sanford had made a princely promise of financial support, but it failed to materialise when he left unexpectedly for home as the result of an unexplained upset at the previous year's Hereford Festival. Novello's continued to be generous, as did Parry. Far from home, unwell and
if we had met and Oh, what a surprise! I'm here to drink the waters which are supposed to do the lungs good. Nous verrons! I came via Munich, where I spent three days (& heard the Joachim quartet - poor Joachim. He really can't any longer.) I liked Munchen muchly & had a nice time, though quiet (very) naturally. When Pm allowed to by my Dr, I'll write you a letter. Meanwhile be a good child & send me the promised continuation of your delightful screed.
