Paris: Le Bailly, O. Bornemann, succr.. 1900. Orchestral score to César Franck's 1887 symphonic poem Psyché, used by the great conductor Pierre Monteux and with his stamps and markings throughout. 62 pp., lacking cover. Stamped six times on five pages with Monteux's autograph stamp in blue ink. With markings on eight pages, including: instrument names underlined, crossed out, or added; timings added at the end of movements; fermatas; one corrected note (p. 62); and one note about tacets and instrumentation (p. 22.) 10.75 x 13.75 inches (27.5 x 35 cm). From the estate of Monteux's daughter, Nancie Monteux Barendse. In heavily used condition, spine reinforced with tape and cloth tape but heavily chipped, some past water damage to the edges, several small tape reinforcements throughout, and some chipping to the final page. Read More...
1927 playbill from the October 10 tryout of the musical Smarty, later titled Funny Face, at the Shubert Theatre in Philadelphia. The cast included Fred Astaire, Adele Astaire, William Kent, Stanley Ridges, Betty Compton, and Gertrude McDonald, with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Fred Thompson and Robert Benchley (replaced in NYC by Paul Gerard Smith). After this performance, rewrites were made in the other two tryout cities and the title was changed to Funny Face, with the show opening under that name on November 11, 1927. Songs included in this program but cut before the opening in New York include "Aviator," "When You're Single," "Those Eyes," "The World Is Mine," "How Long Has This Been Going On?", and "Finest Of The Finest." Also contained in the Playbill is a program for My Maryland on October 10, 1927 at Chestnut Street Opera House, Philadelphia, PA. 28 pp. In very fine condition. 5.25 x 7.75 inches (13.5 x 19.7 cm).
Milan: Ferd. Artaria. [c. 1780]. First edition. Oblong folio. Title; 2-5 pp. Engraved throughout. No PN. Last leaf trimmed at right to just within plate without loss of music, 1836 ownership signature at top right of title page, otherwise in fine condition. A very scarce early publication. OCLC records no copies worldwide. Read More...
Boston: Oliver Ditson. [ca. 186-]. Sheet music for 25 etudes by the important Hungarian pianist and composer. 25 pp. Left edge rough; overall fine. Upright folio. 10.25 x 13.5 inches (26 x 34.5 cm). Read More...
Boston: Oliver Ditson. [1858]. Sheet music to a popular song with "words by a Lady of Buffalo, composed and sung by J. J. Hutchinson." 5 pp. Some light toning, left edge rough, with page numbers stamped at the upper right. Overall very good. Upright folio. 10.25 x 13 inches (26 x 33 cm). Read More...
Wien-Leipzig: Universal-Edition. 1917. Partitur score to Janacek's opera Jenufa, owned and used by the important Austrian conductor. 423 pp. Universal No. 6001. Copy no. 72 of only 100 copies issued. Full score with text in Czech and German. Signed by Böhm on both endpapers and with his extensive directions and notes in blue and red pencil on nearly every page of the score. Also included are 7 pp. of notes in Böhm's hand, listing corrections to each instrumental part of the piece. Pages 35–45 have been sewn together at the right edge in white thread to indicate a large cut to the music; pp. 75–78 have likewise been paper-clipped together to indicate a cut. Original printed boards with some toning, edge wear and light stains; modern black cloth spine. Overall very good. 10.5 x 13.5 inches (27 x 34 cm). Simeone A 4, pp.22-3 Read More...
A fine early full-length photograph of the composer, shown beside a curtain, one hand in his pocket, the other resting on a stack of music on a table. Photographed by Numa Blanc of Paris. Toning and some surface flecks; overall very good. 2.5 x 4 inches (6.5 x 10 cm).
An extremely rare original broadside from an early performance by the very young "Master Liszt." Theatre Royal, Manchester on June 16th 1825. The principal attraction of the concert was the young Franz Liszt, in this, the first of two concerts he gave in Manchester in 1825, sponsored by the piano manufacturers Erard. 25 X 37 cm. Read More...
Autograph postcard signed from the Polish composer and conductor to Tore Johansen, thanking him for his letter and adding, "To answer your question about my favorite piece: this one I have not yet composed." Image on verso shows a view of Wawel Castle in Kraków. Warsaw, 16 June 1967. Fine. 5.75 x 4 inches (14.7 x 10.4 cm).
A rare and finely made first strike bronze commemoration medal of Gustav Mahler by Alfred Rothberger, obverse; portrait bust in low relief, cast caption GUSTAV MAHLER, signed to flan edge, reverse; art nouveau decoration, the text "MEINE ZEIT WIRD NOCH KOMMEN," 49mm diameter, very fine, in fitted case. Niggl 1236. Read More...
Concert program from the opening concert of the 1960 Wiener Festwochen. The concert, on May 29, 1960, commemorated the 100th birthday of Gustav Mahler with his Symphony no. 4 and Drei Lieder mit Orchesterbegleitung, together with Schubert's Symphony no. 8. The soloist was Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, with Bruno Walter conducting the Wiener Philharmoniker. 3 pp., together with three separate sheets of program notes and a ticket stub. Fine. 6 x 8.25 inches (15 x 21 cm).
An interesting collection of letters, autograph musical quotations, and other materials from the prolific and innovative Czech composer. Included are two letters (one ALS, December 8, 1952, 1 p.; and one TLS, April 4, 1958, 2 pp.) to his student Peter Pindar Stearns, offering encouragement and advice to the younger composer; five fragments of autograph musical notation in Martinu's hand, each identified with a typewritten caption; 4 pp. of autograph music in Martinu's hand, identified on a small label as a realization of figured bass from Corelli's Sonata op. 1, no. 5; and an invitation to and a program from the Memorial Concert for Martinu on November 28, 1959 and Mannes Recital Hall. Complete details below. Some toning and light wear; overall fine. Read More...
Paris: Durand & Cie.. 1947. First edition. 177 pp. Large 4to (10.5 x 13.5 inches.) Softcover in original paper wrappers. Small tear to the foot of the spine and some light stains to the front wrapper. Overall very good. Read More...
Cincinatti: John Church, Jr.. [1868]. Sheet music to a mazurka played only on the black keys of the piano. 5 pp. Attractive typography to the title with a design of piano keys. Fine. Upright folio. 10.25 x 13.5 inches (26 x 34.5 cm).
Boston: Geo P. Reed. [c. 1840]. The Pirate's Glee. Words by Arthur Morrill Esq. Music composed & Respectfully dedicated to the Salem Glee Club by Benjamin F. Baker. Title with a lithograph of a pirate attack by Thayer of Boston. 5 pp. Toning with noticeable marks of another imprint to the title; left edge rough; overall very good. 10.25 x 13.5 inches (26.3 x 34.5 cm).
Autograph letter from the Italian composer, teacher of Puccini and Mascagni at the Milano Conservatory and whose "La Gioconda" remains a favorite, to the set designer Ercole Sormani. Together with a sheet of autograph notes in Ponchielli's hand, recording his students' grades for their counterpoint class! The sheet of notes (3 pp. of a bifolium) gives details of the grades for thirteen students, as well as for some of those notes on their compositions of a fugue and a barcarolle, their ages and their number of years of study. Letter 6.25 x 4 inches (15.9 x 10 cm); notes 8 x 12 inches (20 x 30 cm). Some toning and light soiling, but overall fine. Read More...
St. Petersburg: Vasily Kessel & Co.. 1898. Signed vocal score to the Russian composer's one-act opera, inscribed to fellow composer Anatoly Lyadov. Softcover, 9.25 x 12.25 inches (24 x 32 cm). 45 pp. Signed on the title page in Cyrillic in fountain pen (translated): "To my dear friend Anatoly Konstantinovich Lyadov from his loving N. R.-Korsakov, St. Petersburg 98." Pencil annotations of dynamics, fingerings and other notes have been made throughout. Housed in a custom cloth-covered clamshell box. In very good condition overall, with restorations to covers (recased in soft wrappers with original covers affixed); apart from some light soiling and a few small chips, the contents (including signed page) are fine. Box very fine. Read More...
Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co.. [1859]. Sheet music to a popular song by J. M. Hubbard, with attractive color engraving of a robin to the title. 6 pp. Edge wear, some tears and soiling, and page numbers stamped at the upper right corners; overall very good. Upright folio. 10 x 13 inches (26 x 33.2 cm).
Cincinatti: W. C. Peters. c. 1855. Sheet music to a reel for piano with variations by E. Elder. 5 pp. Some light soiling, ink stains to last page; overall very good. 10.25 x 13.5 inches (26 x 34.5 cm).
New York: Williamson Music, Inc. . c. 1951. 198 pp. Vocal score. Inscribed and signed on the front free endpaper by Richard Rodgers to the actor who defined the role of King Mongkut: "For Yul, in gratitude and fondness, from Dick." and also bearing an embossed stamp to the front board at the lower right: "Yul Brynner / from / Dick." Hardcover, red cloth with gold lettering. Shelf wear, spine somewhat faded, gold leaf worn in places; internally fine and overall very good. 4to, 9 x 12 inches. Read More...