ELGAR, Sir Edward (1857-1934). Autograph letter signed to 'Mr Kenyon', Plas Gwyn, Hereford, 30 December 1905, 4 pages, large 4to, envelope. 'AS STRANGE AS MY HARMONY': Kenyon has written an 'admirable article: on the private side of it my wife will write, but you have touched it so delicately that I cannot feel anything could be altered'. Elgar nevertheless asks that four points be clarified: the first is that although Kenyon now has 'a standing invitation ... the wording may make people think that I invited you on this occasion so that I might be interviewed'; the second, 'I am really not so athletic. I cycle a great deal: I hate sport which includes killing anything ...'; the third emphasises that he replies to all letters addressed to him, but disregards any such in the press; the fourth suggests an alteration of a 'branch' metaphor relating to 'programme music', pointing that it is 'not the main trunk'. A postscript adds a further emendation, in an equally self-deprecating tone: 'I am not a practical chemist ... I only dabble largely & unwisely & the results are as strange as my harmony & at present produce equally useless effects: but they smell worse!'.