Festival programme signed by composer Edward Elgar is up for auction

The 1912 Birmingham Musical Festival program was concluded by Elgar conducting his acclaimed composition 'The Apostles,' which had originally premiered at the same festival in 1903

An autographed programme book is set to be auctioned by Anderson and Garland on Wednesday, June 26, and is estimated to sell for between £300-500.

(Image: Anderson & Garland's Music Auction)

Elgar's relationship with Birmingham was a complex one.

In the 1880s, he was a regular violinist in a Birmingham orchestra. His career saw him appointed Professor of Music at the University of Birmingham in 1905.

The city’s triennial festival commissioned four of his major choral works, but Elgar's tenure as a professor was short-lived, lasting only three years due to his "aversion to lecturing".

A 19th-century violin, once the possession of the Birmingham legend by Sam Smith, is also set for the auction block.

The violin was crafted by Thomas Perry and William Wilkinson, based in Dublin.

(Image: Anderson & Garland's Music Auction)

It passed into the hands of Smith, who was active in the music industry for decades, starting with the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra (YSO) before moving on to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO).

Smith was a part of the YSO, based at Leeds Town Hall, from 1950 until its dissolution in 1955.

He then joined the RAF and was educated at Trinity College London.

Smith spent the next forty years of his life with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, serving as principal first violin.

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Under George Weldon and later Simon Rattle, Smith was a crucial part of the CBSO, which grew into one of Europe's leading ensembles.

He participated in the premiere of Benjamin Britten’s "War Requiem" in May 1962, hailed as a contemporary masterpiece.

The violin features a one-piece back and ribs, a fine-grained top with light amber varnish, and includes the original receipt from when it was purchased in 1945.

Auctioneers Anderson and Garland estimate that the violin will sell for between £3,000 and £4,000.

The auction will also see a range of Smith’s personal items, including a good early 20th Century French bow, a mid-18th Century German Violin, and two modern cases with various chin rests.

The full collection of Smith's personal belongings is estimated to fetch between £5,500 and £8,500.

More details are available by contacting Anderson and Garland at music@andersonandgarland.com.

Those interested can register to bid and watch the auction live at www.andersonandgarland.com from 10am.