Amadeus Quartet
- Extensive collection of items relating to the Amadeus string quartet (active 1947-1987).
- Correspondence, newspaper cuttings, recital agendas, recordings and other ephemera.
- Collection size: c30 boxes and folders, stored on site.
An inventory of the press reviews and a handlist of the correspondence are available on request.
Herbert Kennedy Andrews
- Collection of autograph manuscripts and research materials (relating to his publications on 16th century music) of 20th-century composer and organist who taught at the RCM.
- Collection size: 1 box of manuscripts stored on site and listed on the Additional manuscripts list. 7 boxes of research papers not yet catalogued and stored off site.
Artists' brochures
- Both individuals' and agents' brochures. Approximately 2,000 items arranged by size and then alphabetically.
- Collection size: 3 boxes, stored off site.
No comprehensive handlist or catalogue, but list of contents for agents' brochures available.
Australian Music Centre
- Large collection of scores and printed music by Australian composers, published in Australia and elsewhere.
- Over 500 items available on the open shelves
This collection is fully catalogued in the main library catalogue.
John Francis Barnett
- Music manuscripts of 19th-century composer and pianist (1839–1916) who taught at the RCM for 30 years.
- Collection size: 11 items, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Stanley Bate
- Large collection of largely autograph manuscripts (with some printed items) of former RCM student (1913–1959) who later studied with Boulanger and Hindemith.
- Collection size: 9 boxes, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Bechstein Company & Bechstein Hall
- Ledgers recording the bookings of the hall (now Wigmore Hall) and the sale of pianos by the London branch of the German firm. Late 19th- to mid-20th-centuries.
- Collection size: 42 large volumes, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Harold Beck
- Manuscript exercises for cello by and formerly belonging to Harold Beck, principal cellist of the Halle and then the London Symphony Orchestra.
- Collection size: 1 box, stored off site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Julius Benedict
- Diaries from 1838 onwards of this German-born composer and conductor (1804-1885).
- Collection size: 10 boxes, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Sterndale Bennett
- Manuscripts, copyist scores and printed editions of celebrated composer Sir William Sterndale Bennett (1816–75).
- Collection size: 7 boxes, stored on site.
- Printed editions and manuscripts of Sir William's grandson, TC Sterndale Bennett (1882–1944).
- Collection size: 2 boxes, stored on site.
- Collection gifted to RCM in 2006 by the Sterndale Bennett family.
No handlist or catalogue yet available.
New Berlioz Edition
- An archive comprising both copies of the original sources used in the preparation of the New Berlioz Edition and the administrative records of the Edition.
Search archive
James Bernard
- Collection of scores by celebrated composer of film music (1925–2001) who had been a pupil of Howells at the RCM.
- Collection size: 9 boxes, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Boosey & Hawkes Collection
- Royalty ledgers, hire library and production department records.
- Manuscripts from the hire library.
- Collection size: 2 boxes, stored on site.
Manuscripts are listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Adrian Boult
- Printed full scores formerly owned and used by Sir Adrian Cedric Boult (1889–1983), eminent conductor and one-time RCM professor. Many scores marked with Boult's notes, dates of performance, and some including programmes.
- Personal effects, including letters to and from Boult, tickets, ration books, passports and other such ephemera.
- Collection size: 14 boxes, stored on site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Lionel Bradley
- Lionel Bradley (1898–1953), librarian with a keen interest in music. Bradley attended 16 years' worth of London concerts (1936–1953) and wrote detailed reports on each of them to be circulated amongst friends in the north of England.
- Handwritten notes on live performances and broadcasts, including the premiere of Britten's Peter Grimes.
- Collection size: stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list, with further detail available on request.
See also this Thesis by Kerri-Anne Edinburgh
John Braham
- Singer and composer, active early 19th century.
- Autograph scores of vocal works, late 18th- and early 19th-centuries.
- Collection size: 1 box, stored on site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Dennis Brain
- Substantial collection of music owned by the legendary horn-player, Dennis Brain (1921-1957).
- Includes manuscripts, handwritten dedications from composers, biographically significant items, performing parts, wind quintet parts used by the English Wind players, and printed scores.
- Collection size: 7 large boxes, stored on site.
Handlist of contents available upon request.
David Branson
- Music manuscripts and research papers on John Field.
- Collection size: 5 boxes, stored off site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Alexander Brent-Smith
- Large collection of manuscript compositions by Alexander Brent-Smith (1889–1950), also an author and organist.
- Collection size: 8 boxes and 50+ volumes, stored on site.
- Additionally some diaries and other personal items, 5 boxes, stored off site.
- Collection on loan from Christopher Brent-Smith.
Manuscripts are fully catalogued in the main library catalogue. Other items not yet catalogued.
Havergal Brian
- Collection of autograph manuscripts of idiosyncratic 20th-century composer (1876–1972) including full scores and/or drafts of symphonies 2-32, concertos, other orchestral works. operas and choral works.
- Collection size: 10 boxes, stored on site.
- Collection on loan from the Brian estate.
Handlist available with the collection.
Frank Bridge
- Largest single collection of autograph manuscripts of 20th-century composer (1879–1941) who studied at the RCM. Also includes published music, many first editions, copies of publishers' brochures and a small number of letters to members of the Speyer family and others.
- Collection size: 28 boxes, stored on site.
The collection of manuscripts and letters is listed on the Additional manuscripts list, with printed music on the library catalogue except for some first editions. There is no catalogue available for the brochures.
Leslie Bridgewater
- Small collection of manuscript arrangements and transcriptions for small orchestra by Ernest Leslie Bridgewater, (1893–1975), pianist, conductor and composer of light music.
- Collection size: 1 box, stored on site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
James & Sebastian Brown
- Large collection of manuscripts, annotated proof editions, programmes, letters and other items relating to this father and son. James Conway Brown (1838–1908) was a close friend of and collaborator with Arnold Bennett; Sebastian Hubert Brown (1903–1999) was a former student of the RCM.
- Original compositions, arrangements and editions.
- Also containing small amounts of material relating to Thomas Brown (unknown relation) and composer Christopher a Becket Williams (1890–1956).
- Collection size: 21 boxes, stored off site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Frank Bury
- Frank (Francis) James Lindsay Bury (1910-1944) studied piano, theory, orchestration and conducting at the RCM between 1931 and 1939. His teachers included Gordon Jacob, Malcolm Sargent, Aubin Raymar, and Constant Lambert. He died whilst serving as a Lieutenant with the Royal Norfolk Regiment.
- 3 volumes of manuscripts including songs and an oboe concerto.
- Collection size: 1 box, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Victor Butler
- Victor Butler, composer active early 20th century.
- Manuscript collection of songs, choral and solo instrumental music, with some chamber works including a string quartet.
- Collection size: 1 box, stored on site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Jack Byfield
- Small collection of manuscripts of chamber and orchestral music by former RCM student (1902–1977) who achieved fame as a light music pianist, composer and arranger.
- Collection size: 1 box, stored on site.
Partly catalogued (MSS 7005-8) in the Additional manuscripts list. Remainder uncatalogued.
Margaret Campbell [Dolmetsch]
- Research papers of Margaret Campbell (1917–2015) relating to the musical Dolmetsch family, a family with connections to the RCM.
- Collection size: 10 boxes, stored on site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Paul Campion Collection
- Large collection of photographs, letters and autographs of female singers dating from the late 18th century to the present day; plus recordings of many of the singers featured.
- Collection size: 6 boxes, stored on site.
Handlist available.
Capricorn Ensemble
- Collection of performing material used by the Capricorn Ensemble (founded 1973), presented in memory of its founder Timothy Mason (died 1997).
Not kept as a discrete collection, but contents fully catalogued in the main library catalogue.
Clive Carey
- Personal collection of manuscripts, articles, and lecture notes belonging to eminent baritone, composer and former RCM professor Francis Clive Savill Carey (1883-1968).
- Autograph manuscripts of Coleridge-Taylor, Parry and Warlock amongst others, as well as Carey's own compositions.
- Collection size: 5 boxes plus c20 volumes, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Mora Carroll
- Mrs Carroll's dissertation JL Dussek and his role in the development of the piano repertory; her book A survey of English music printing and publishing from Caxton to 1800; and a small amount of material used in the writing of these works.
- Collection size: 3 boxes, stored on site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Carter String Trio
- Manuscripts formerly used by the Carter String Trio, donated by violinist Mary Carter.
- Autograph manuscripts by Arnold Cooke, Georges Enesco and Gordon Jacob amongst others.
- Collection size: 2 boxes, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Cavendish collection
- A substantial collection of light orchestral music published by Boosey & Hawkes and used by the firm for its Cavendish Music Company series of gramophone recordings in the 1930s.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Chaplin Trio
- Collection of programmes, flyers, account books and other ephemera relating to this piano trio consisting of Nellie, Kate and Mabel Chaplin (active early 20th century).
- Collection size: 3 boxes, stored on site.
A handlist is available.
Joan Chissell
- Former RCM student Joan Chissell (1919–2007) was a writer and lecturer on music.
- Collection contains books, letters and a distinct collection of papers relating to her work as a music critic and her research into Robert and Clara Schumann as well as other figures.
- Collection size: 4 boxes, stored off site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Eric Coates
- Comprehensive collection of autograph manuscripts of important composer of light music (1886–1957), as well as printed editions of his own works and other archival materials.
- Collection size: 9 boxes and 9 volumes, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Avril Coleridge-Taylor
- Collection of autograph manuscripts of works composed by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's daughter Avril (1903–1998), with some arrangements of her father's works.
- Collection size: 5 boxes, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
- Comprehensive collection of autograph manuscripts of one of the RCM's earliest student composers (1875–1912).
- Stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
HC Colles (Grove's Dictionary)
- Henry Cope Colles (1879-1943), former RCM student, revised Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians in the 3rd and 4th editions.
- Large amount of correspondence relating to the 4th edition of Grove. Letters from Colles requesting information, and letters to Colles providing information and suggesting amendments.
- Collection size: 7 boxes, stored on site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Lawrance Collingwood
- Collection of autograph manuscripts of conductor and composer Lawrance Collingwood (1887-1982).
- Collection size: 7 boxes and 6 volumes, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Concert, opera & ballet programmes
- About 600,000 programmes, covering the whole world, but with a strong emphasis on Great Britain, including Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, King's Theatre, Queens Hall, St James Hall and others.
The programme collection is included on concertprogrammes.org.uk. Some handlists are available.
Concerts of Ancient Music Library
- Large collection of programmes and printed and manuscript scores used by aristocratic concert-giving society (1776–1848), which only performed works at least 20 years old, favouring Italian and English vocal and instrumental music from the 17th and 18th centuries.
The Society’s printed catalogue (1791) is available on request, and the contents of the collection were included in the Catalogue of Printed Music (1909), typescript Manuscript Catalogue and (in part) in the library catalogue.
Benjamin Cooke
- Collection of autograph manuscripts by 18th-century composer, organist, conductor and theorist Benjamin Cooke (1734–1793) along with copies of his works by other composers.
- Collection size: c30 volumes, stored on site.
This collection is fully catalogued in the main library catalogue.
Kenneth Cox
- Collection of autograph manuscripts of C20th English composer Kenneth Cox, donated by his son Anthony Cox.
- Collection size: 2 boxes, stored on site.
This collection is listed on the Additional manuscripts list.
Alfred Redgrave Cripps
- Alfred Redgrave Cripps, former RCM Scholar (1882–1950). Collection of original works (mostly songs) in manuscript, printed and proof form
- Collection size: 2 boxes, stored on site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Peter Crossley-Holland
• British-American composer, teacher and ethnomusicologist (1916-2001)
• Comprehensive collection of manuscripts and small number of letters
• Collection size: 11 boxes
No catalogue or handlist yet available.
Adrian Cruft
- Complete archive of manuscripts, correspondence and business papers from composer and former RCM student and professor Adrian Cruft (1921–1987).
- Collection size: 30 boxes of manuscripts, stored on site. Letters, diaries and other ephemera stored off site.
Manuscripts catalogued on the Additional manuscripts list.
Crystal Palace programmes
- Incomplete set of programmes for the Saturday orchestral concerts (1856–1901), the majority owned and annotated by Grove.
- 1856–1860 stored off site. 1861–1901 stored on site.
No catalogue or handlist yet available.