Signed photograph of the an American composer, a student of Ernest Bloch, Percy Goetschius, and Nadia Boulanger who taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music, The Hartt School, and the Eastman School of Music. He has signed and inscribed in white ink "with my affection / For David from Bernard" with a short autograph musical quotation of four notes to his student, the American composer David Diamond. Stamped on the verso by the photographer, Josef Schiff of Rochester. Surface creases; overall very good. 5 x 7 inches (12.9 x 17.7 cm). Read More...
1892 Portrait medal of the important composer, signed Johnson–Milano. Recto shows Rossini in profile to right with "Gioacchino Rossini" to left and right; verso reads: "Pesaro nel primo centenario Rossiniano / Feste del Luglio-Agosto 1892 / Per cura del comitato ordinatore." 1 3/8 inches (35 mm.) Rare. Not in Niggl, although apparently a variant of Niggl 1702–1706.
Autograph note signed from the prominent French composer, penned on a visiting card printed with his name and address and requesting a ticket to a performance for the young American composer David Diamond. June 10, 1937. Roussel writes (translated from the French): "Would you please give a seat to M. David Diamond, American composer, for one of the performances at the Comédie des Ch[amps]-Ely[sées]." Remnants of tape to the verso and edges; overall very good. 3.25 x 2.5 inches (8.5 x 6.2 cm). This autograph dates from the final months of Roussel's life; he died on August 23, 1937. Read More...
An uncommon Barraud of London cabinet photograph of the important pianist and composer, who is shown standing, leaning against a stone balustrade. Some light toning and wear; overall fine. 4.25 x 6.5 inches (10.8 x 16.6 cm).
Leipzig: Edition M. P. Belaieff. 1897. First edition. 15 pp. [PN] 1391. Rare. Wrappers and last page detached from staple binding; writing and stamps to front wrapper; overall very good. 10.5 x 13 inches (26.5 x 33.5 cm). Read More...
Leipzig: Edition M. P. Belaieff. 1898. First edition. 19 pp. [PN] 1605. Front wrapper largely detached, with some heavy foxing and a clipped area to the top edge of the wrapper. Overall very good. 10.5 x 13 inches (26.5 x 33.5 cm). Rare. Read More...
Leipzig: Edition M. P. Belaieff. 1895. First edition. 23 pp. [PN] 1046. Rare. Wrappers toned, with losses to the back wrapper, spine reinforced in paper tape. Overall very good. 10.5 x 13 inches (27 x 33.5 cm). Read More...
London: London & Continental Music Co.. [1922]. Signed score of his "Fantaisie Espagnole" from the colorful, enigmatic Parsi composer and journalist best known for his keyboard works of labyrinthine complexity and protracted length, some lasting hours. He has signed in red ballpoint across the title page. Two clipped half-tone photographs of the composer are mounted with rather heavily toned tape across from the first page of music. He has also added several annotations to the last page of music in red pen, offering an "ossia" version for the lowest notes given. Copyright date on the first page of music changed by hand from 1912 to 1922. Softcover. 36 pp. Large tear to the front wrapper, some foxing, slightly affecting the signature; overall very good. 10.5 x 12.75 inches (27 x 32.5 cm.) Read More...
Autograph letter from the German composer, violinist and conductor to Flemish-Austrian nobleman and musician Eduard de Lannoy, offering his Quartet-Concerto op. 131 for performance in Vienna, and mentioning the success of Hector Berlioz. 3 pp. Kassel, December 26, 1845. On a large bifolium, addressed and franked on the verso with remnants of a seal; one edge loss from opening, some light toning and soiling; overall fine. 8.5 x 11 inches (21.8 x 28 cm). Read More...
1829 Portrait medal of the Italian opera composer and conductor by Christoph Carl Pfeuffer Recto with a raised portrait bust in half profile to the left and the text: "SPONTINIO EQUITI CLARO PRIMO MUSICI AGONIS SUI DIRECTORI / HAL. SAXON. D.X - SEPT. MDCCCXXIX" and signed "C. LOOS DIR." The verso with a laurel wreath and the text around the border: "LYRICAE TRAGOEDIAE PRINCIPI GERMANIA MERITORUM CULTRIX," with inside the wreath: "VESTALIS / CORTES / OLYMPIA / NURMAHAL / ALCIDOR / AGNES STAUF / MILTON / CET." Andorfer & Epstein 288. Niggl 1925. 2 inches (5.2 cm).
Autograph note signed from the important composer to the younger composer David Diamond, penned on a visiting card printed with Stravinsky's name. Hollywood, October 15, 1964. Stravinsky writes: "Back from our extended concert tour find your NONET dedicated to me for my 80th birthday. Extremely touched I thank you dear Diamond much cordially. Yours as ever, I. Str." Handsomely matted and framed together with a reproduction photograph of Stravinsky as a younger man. Very fine. Sight size 3.75 x 3.25 inches (9.5 x 8 cm), framed to an overall size of 8.5 x 13.5 inches. Read More...
A remarkable composition of three autograph musical quotations from the important composer, penned in a circle around two clipped and mounted half-tone photographs, and signed and inscribed to American composer David Diamond. N.d. [August 1943]. Stravinsky has penned at the head: "To David Diamond—Greetings from" and at the foot: "Igor Stravinsky." Along the left edge, an autograph musical quotation of four measures in mixed meter from the first movement of the Concerto in E flat "Dumbarton Oaks" (1937–38); along the right edge, two further autograph musical quotations, one of two measures in 4/4 time and one of four measures in 2/4 time. On a sheet 5 x 8 inches (12.7 x 20.3 cm), tipped to a larger card mount of 6.5 x 9.75 inches (16.4 x 24.5 cm). Together with a sheet from the backing of an earlier framed presentation, which dates the inscription to August 1943. Light toning; upper photograph partially torn; otherwise fine overall. Read More...
Original 1962 drawing of Igor Stravinsky, Joan Sutherland, Erica Morini and several other musical figures of 1960's New York, signed by the American illustrator and caricaturist Sam Norkin. The drawing is Norkin's impression of the "Stadium Concerts" of summer 1962 at Lewisohn Stadium, New York City. The featured performers he caricatures include a dominant Stravinsky, the tiara-adorned Joan Sutherland, and violinists Erica Morini and Michael Rabin. We believe the pianist at the right may be Ivan Davis, and the svelte conductor at the top Vladimir Golschmann. Signed by Norkin and dated in pencil at the foot: June 24, 1962. Black and blue ink on card. Some large areas of toned glue remnants. Overall very good. 16.5 x 20 inches (41 x 50 cm). Read More...
Striking original drawing of the great composer and conductor gesturing emphatically, signed by the noted American illustrator and caricaturist Sam Norkin. 1965. Black and white ink on card; rectangular area of toning and some light edge wear. Overall fine. 18 x 12 inches (45 x 30.5 cm). Read More...
An original tambourine from the World War I era, with a hand-drawn sketch of four musicians in Army uniforms on the drumhead. Penned at the head: "Jazz-Band [...] / 210th Engineers / Camp Miller, N. Y. / Jan. 1, 1919." The names of four soldiers are penned at the foot: "Capt. ER St. John - Banjuke / Capt. Hensley - Bones / Pvt. Annili - Guitar / Sergt. Corbin - Mandolin." A slip of paper with later writing transcribing this information is affixed to the underside of the drumhead. Drumhead partially detached from the frame, heavily toned with the ink quite faded; jingles heavily rusted. Overall good. 8 inches in diameter x 1.24 inches high. Read More...
Signed photograph of the American composer and critic, inscribed to fellow composer David Diamond. He has penned at the lower left: "Diamonds, pearls, saphires [sic]—jewelry always seems to turn up / Virgil Thomson / 1 February 1944 / N.Y.C." Stamped on the verso by the photographer, Renato Toppo of New York. Very slight corner chip; otherwise in very fine condition. 7.5 x 9.5 inches (18.8 x 24 cm). Read More...
Signed single-sheet program from a performance of William Walton's Viola Concerto by Hungarian viola virtuoso Paul Lukacs and the Wiener Symphoniker on June 19, 1947. Both Walton and Lukacs have signed on the recto. Folding crease and some slight wrinkles with light toning; overall very good. 5.75 x 8.25 inches (14.7 x 21 cm).
Partial autograph letter signed ink, "v Weber", Dresden, March 19, 1818, with postal cover on reverse to the Berlin music publisher A[dolf] M. Schlesinger. Although the letter evidently lacks the upper lines, there is much extant material, including approximately 38 lines with signature at the conclusion, and the content relates to several of Weber's major compositions, including the Missa Sancta no. 1 (which had just been premiered in Dresden), Der Freischütz, and his Horn Concertino. Large fragment with loss at head; fold separations with mends on back (appears to be archival); small tear to one edge. Overall good. 8 x 9.25 inches (20.2 x 23.5 cm). Together with a vintage postcard portrait of the composer. Read More...
An interesting album of signatures from various important musicians, collected in Düsseldorf ca. 1930–1932. Included are signatures from composer Kurt Weill, pianist Vladimir Horowitz (twice), members of the Busch Quartet (Adolph Busch, Hermann Busch, and Karl Doktor) and Rudolf Serkin; violinist Erica Morini, pianist Edwin Fischer, with an autograph musical quotation from Mozart's Piano Sonata K.331 in A major; pianist Elly Ney; violinist Nathan Milstein; conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler; pianist Wilhelm Kempff; violinist Bronislaw Huberman, and others. Some signatures dated between 1930 and 1932, with some signees adding the location of Düsseldorf. 25 pp. of signatures in all, with the rest of the album left blank. Brown alligator cover. Light edge wear, signatures signed in pencil; overall fine. 3.5 x 5.25 inches (9 x 13.5 cm). Read More...
Original drawing of the two prominent Russian-born pianists Alexander Brailowsky and Simon Barere, by noted American illustrator and caricaturist Sam Norkin. While Brailowsky (at the left) plays with a grin and massive oversized hands, Barere is shown sweating profusely onto the fingerboard. Black and white ink on card, with some crop marks and notes in pencil at the foot. Toning, some light edge wear and soiling; overall fine. 16 x 9.5 inches (41.5 x 24.5 cm). Read More...