Signed W.G & A.J. Thuss of Nashville cabinet photograph of the American composer, cellist and conductor known for his many successful operettas. He is shown in a right facing bust portrait and has inscribed with a musical quotation to the pianist and composer Franz Bausemer: "with Greatest Compliments / Victor Herbert / St. Louis Oct. '97." Signature to a darker area of the image, fading ink, some scratches and small losses around the edges of the mount, else fine. Photograph 3.8 x 5.5 inches (9.7 x 14 cm.); overall 5.25 x 7.75 inches (13.4 x 19.7 cm.).
Rare signed document from the important American composer, a personal check payable to New Music Edition for $50 and dated July 1, 1946, the document completed in another hand, likely that of his wife Harmony Ives, and signed by the composer himself "Chas. E. Ives" in his late, shaky hand. In fine condition, 8.5 x 3 inches (21.6 x 7.6 cm.). Read More...
New Haven: Philistine Press. 1954. First. Folio. Two volumes. 416 pp (Volume I - 208 pages, many illustrated. Volume 2 - 208 pages, many illustrated). Comb-bound with straw covers and cloth ties in planographed cardboard slipcase, planographs from slate and multigraph offsets, pages printed on Mohawk Construction Paper. Hand-numbered 82 from the edition of 1,000 and signed to title page by both authors. Some wear to straw at spine, portion of exterior label to slipcase missing, else in fine condition. Read More...
Extremely rare original broadside advertising a performance by the great pianist-composer at the salon of Colonel Herman Thorn in Paris on June 30, 1842. A fundraiser for a German orchestra which had met financial misfortune in Paris while on tour due to a lack of attendance of their performances, the program consisted of works performed with members of the orchestra and solo pieces performed by Liszt, including "Choeurs de Weber," "Reminiscence de Don Juan," "Es lebt eine Ratt im Kellernest," Schubert's "Ave Maria," Liszt's arrangement of "Erlkönig," "Rheinweinlied," and concluding with a performance of the "Fantasie on the motifs of Robert le Diable". Tears and surface creases along edges, text unaffected, else very good. Approximately 8 x 11 inches (20.25 x 27.94 cm.). Read More...
AMQS from the Russian-born composer,pianist, and teacher who has penned 4 bars on 3 staves from his Sonata N. 2 op. 32 for violin and piano in D major, inscribing to the eminent American composer James Van Heusen, Pittsburgh, 1963. On musical manuscript paper, 24 x 26 cm. Read More...
26. [Lully, Jean Baptiste. (1632–1687)] et al.. Recueil Des Opera, Des Ballets, & des plus belles Piéces en Musique qui ont été representées depuis dix ou douze ans jusques à present devant sa Majesté Tres-Chrestienne. Tome Cinquieme.
Amsterdam [Suivant la Copie de Paris]: Chez les Héretiers D'Antoine Schelte. 1700. 32mo. bound volume containing individually paginated libretti to Alcide (44pp), Didon (57pp), Medée (69pp), Circe (59pp), Cephale & Procris (56pp), Teagene & Cariclée (60 pp) and Jason (48pp), each with a finely engraved illustration preceding or opposite their respective title pages, the collection preceded by Title; Table des Oeuvres. Contemporary full leather boards with four raised bands to spine, boards bending and splitting along the gutters, else generally fine throughout.
Trifold pamphlet signed to cover by the important Polish composer. Printed in 1975 by J. & W. Chester, his international publisher, the pamphlet contains an essay by music critic Malcolm Rayment on Lutosławski's life and work, followed by a selected list of works. Evident pen trouble with poor ink adherence and light toning to upper edge, else in fine condition. 4 x 8.25 inches (10 x 21 cm.).
28. [Lyre]. Set of four Erotic Photograph Postcards
Four French erotic postcard photographs published by Charles Collas & Co., Cognac, three featuring models posing with a lyre, and one depicting a lone model draped with fabric, her back turned to the camera, elements of the anatomy obscured within the negative for a slightly more modest effect. Ca. 1910. Very fine, each 3.64 x 5.7 inches (9.25 x 14.5 cm.).
Paris: Enoch et Cie, 27, boulevard des Italiens.. 1954. First. Printed score of the important French avant-garde composer's Concerto for Marimba, Op. 278 signed and inscribed by Milhaud to the front cover, "À Giovanni Pellegrini / Souvenir bien cordial / Milhaud / 1954." Upright folio. 45 pp. [PN] 9492. Wrappers toned around the edges, a few small nicks and creases, internally in fine condition and overall fine. 11 x 14.5 inches (27.2 x 37.5 cm). Read More...
An intriguing collection of letters from the important American composer and pianist to longtime friend Harry Brunswick Loeb, music critic and owner of a New Orleans music store, consisting of three Autograph Letters Signed and three Typed Letters Signed. The archive is predominantly undated, though evidently all of the same period, during which Ornstein, and subsequently Mr. Loeb, experienced a significant illness. We identify the first letter is a 4 pp. ALS on Piedmont Hotel, Atlanta, GA stationary, which reads in part "I have read with intense interest your review of my recital, and with your permission I will get Hanson [his manager at the time] to reproduce it. / Please let me tell you again what it has meant to meet a real personality, in these days where so few people have real courage. It is indeed stimulating." In an undated ALS (3 pp.), Ornstein writes, in part, "I have been ill in bed...hence the delay in answering your sparkling notes. / Your sister is a goddess! Beautiful beyond words, and with a lovely cool sense of articulation. You are indeed fortunate. As for your brother-in-law, he is one who has indeed been blessed—you have all been so kind to me—that words are miserable recompense, but some day– and you my dear fellow are a delight– whether discussing 'sublimated poetry' or...– You have been joy. I shall long remember my visit to NO [New Orleans] and your promise to spend some time with us in the mountains– Don't Forget. I am deathly tired and may have to give up all my concerts for the remainder of the season." In the next ALS, (Undated; 1 pp. on lined paper.), he writes in part, "I am feeling splendidly again— but no new concerts until next fall. / Remember your promise to visit us next summer...I will accept no excuses— No no no." In a letter dated June 8th, 1921 (North Conway, NH. 1 pp. on A4 paper.), Ornstein writes in part "I can't tell you how distressed I was to hear that you have been ill. I can indeed sympathize with you having so recently felt so myself...Do let me hear from you how you are and when you are going to be able to drop in on us here. It would do you a world of good...I have been working very hard lately and have been writing a lot. As you have probably heard I have left Mr. Hanson and am now under the management of Arthur Judson...Hanson was all right for getting the business but he got awfully on my nerves and I finally decided to make the change." In the final letter (July 7th, 1921; 1 pp. on A4 paper), a visit is coming together, in part "Of cou[r]se August is not too late. We will be delighted to have you." The typewriter used for the last two letters had a dysfunctional "r," and in the first of the two letters, Ornstein has written in all "r"s by hand. It would appear Mr. Loeb made a comment of some sort about this, as the final letter omits every "r" entirely, with a postscript reading, "Since you seemed to esent the inse ted s I am leaving them out and you can put them in to suit you self." Several letters mounted to scrapbook paper, mounting remnants to other, first letter tape-reinforced along left edge, second letter tape-reinforced along left edge and outer edge roughly torn, expected mailing folds, overall in good condition. Read More...
AMQS from the Italian composer, who has penned the first five measures of the first movement from his Quinto Concerto, marked Molto moderato, and including dynamic and expressive markings for the tenor trombone, tam-tam, harp, violins, and viola, as well as the dedication, "Dedicated to the Memory of Serge and Natalie Koussevitsky." He has noted the year of composition, 1955, next to his signature, and dated the AMQS to Rome in January 1981. Light vertical and horizontal creases, overall in fine condition. 8.5 x 11 inches (21.6 x 27.9 cm.). Read More...
Paris: Au Ménestrel [...] Heugel. 1924. Piano and vocal score to the important French composer's ballet Les Biches, signed and inscribed by the composer on the title page to the composer Jean Wiener and dated 1924. Poulenc has penned (translated from the French): "To Jean Wiener with all my profound affection and a thousand excuses for having removed an end page that was a bit stained. / Francis, 1924." Paris: Au Ménestrel [...] Heugel. 1924. [PN] H. 28,730. 96 pp. Bound together and following Stravinsky's "Grande Suite de L'histoire du Soldate. Arrangement pour Piano par L'Auteur" (London: Chester Ltd., 1918), [PN] J. & W.C. 2080; Title-Table -1 - 50pp. Half brown leather over green marbled boards, five raised bands to spine. Occasional pencil markings in the Stravinsky score, presumably in the hand of Wiener, else fine internally. Board edges somewhat worn, spine rubbed with joints starting to separate a little in lower compartment. Overall fine. 9.75 x 12.25 inches (25 x 31.5 cm). Read More...
Autograph letter signed "S. Prokofiew" on a Russian-language postcard from the great Russian composer to the influential music writer and critic Michel-Dimitri Calvocoressi. Card Postmarked 1.5.37, translated from the French: "Dear Sir, in ten days I hope to visit Paris for 8 days. I am looking forward to the pleasure of seeing you again soon and am sending you my best wishes." Nicely framed together with a printed portrait of the composer, unexamined out of frame but in apparently fine condition. Letter measures 3.5 x 5.5 inches; frame 10.5 x 16 inches. Read More...
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Manuscript psalm book, England, 18th century. Signed and dated to the lower pastedown, "Tho[ma]s Jones his book, February 27 1789". The contents in the hand of its presumed first owner include the bass parts and full texts of hymns from the beginning of the church year, such as "Christ the Lord is ris'n today," and several other hymns; bass parts with text throughout to several more complex anthems including "Unto us a son is giv'n," "Tell ye the daughters of Jerusalem," and "O God, my heart is ready". Later entries in other hands include psalm settings in four parts without text and several pages with sketches or incomplete single lines of music in pencil. Approx. 40 pp. of music total, with table of contents on both sides of the (detached) front flyleaf. A bookplate from Ernest Bryan Gipps is pasted to the back flyleaf. Ernest Bryan Gipps was the leader (British for concertmaster) of the Folkestone Municipal Orchestra and the brother of composer Ruth Gipps (1921–1999). Read More...
Scarce signed postcard caricature postcard of the Danish composer who studied with Roussel and was an associate of Ravel, Stravinsky, and Les Six during the 1920s in Paris. He cultivated a French-inspired treatment of instrumentation and timbre, which set him apart from contemporary Nordic composers, and his Neo-Classical ideology put him at odds with much of the modernistic German music of the day. "Oddness is a pathological phenomenon in art, an element that leads to a constant widening of the gap between art and humanity," Riisager wrote. "While distinctiveness is an expression of artistic strength, odd music has no future. Society does not want it and has no use for it... Art is not for cranks, it is for living human beings." Faint creasing and mounting remnants to verso; overall fine. 4.25 x 6 inches (10.8 x 15.2 cm.).
Paris: E. Demets. 1913. First Edition. Folio. Including d’Holthurie II. d’Edriophthalma III. de Podophthalma Pour Piano. PN E. 1795 (1) [-] (3) D. 1f. (recto title printed in red and black, verso blank), 11, [ii] (blank), [i] (publisher's advertisement) pp. Original publisher's blue wrappers featuring an illustration of a fish. Unbound as issued. Wear to edges, minor discoloration to pp. 4–5. Read More...
Autograph letter from the influential French composer, pianist and critic, addressed to the music critic Gavy Bélédin of the Nantes journal "Le Phare." 2 pp. 19. VIII [ny]. Translated in part: I never had the intention of responding negatively to your kind proposition - even less so, to never reply at all. But I was awaiting an occasion. One writes everything about music - and all the useless things! - and on the one thing in the world, the only perhaps, which by definition refuses all literature. Will get to it one day. For the moment it is hot, the sky is blue...If you would like the program of the concert of M. Villa who will sing my songs, I will send it to you..." Biblioteque Municipale Nantes stamp upper right, deaccessioned by them and sold at auction. Fine. Read More...
An interesting pair of autograph letters, ca. 1930, from the influential French composer, pianist and critic, one to the conductor and Columbia Records musical director Georges Truc and dealing with details of a recording; the other arranging a visit with Truc's wife, pianist Lucette Descaves. The first letter (Artiguemy [Pyrénées], June 30, 2 pp.) begins by apologizing for Schmitt's late reply, and goes on to say that he is unable to answer a question about a recording from Truc, since he is away from home: "I found your letter after arriving back from a trip of three weeks. Now what shall I do, since I am 800 kilometers from any record! Are the proofs to which you refer separated from the definitive edition by a long series of operations and a large lapse of time? If so -- excuse this question, which may be ridiculous, but I ignore so much of recordings -- too bad: if you are pressed for time, as it seems, rely on your own estimation and move on. If not, that is to say if it is a matter of eight or fifteen days, then wait for me -- about October 15. At the same time, wouldn't you like to hear M. Charles Marchand [...] who would like to make a piano recording (which I am ignoring.) He is a young blind man about whom I have heard many good things..." In the second letter (St Cloud, November 9, 1 p.), Schmitt arranges a meeting with Descaves on the following Friday. "...Afterwards I am rehearsing with the quartet. Thank you so much for your invitations. But at the moment Raton [Schmitt's son] is away, Jeanne has a cold, and I have to work on pressing and useless things..." Folding creases, some slight splits and wear, overall in very good condition. 5.25 x 7.5 inches (13.6 x 19 cm). Read More...
AMQS from the American composer, who has inscribed "January 1981 / Dear Steve / I appreciate your interest in my work, + in 20th century music in general!! / Good luck to you, + best wishes, / Elliott Schwartz" above two measures from an unidentified composition. In fine condition. 8.5 x 11 inches (21.6 x 27.9 cm.). Read More...
Youthful Meyer of Berlin postcard photograph of the great composer, boldly signed with his name alone and in very fine condition. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm).