Two long and colorful autograph letters from the great Polish American pianist and his son (a violinist and the inventor of Kodachrome), written while on Godowsky's 1922 South American tour to piano manufacturer and artistic sponsor Berthold Neuer of Knabe Pianos, New York. In the letters, dated July 19 and July 20 (Leopold Jr.), 1922, father and son give a detailed account of the ups and downs of the tour, including the difficulties of advertising Godowsky's concerts in a market dominated by the Teatro Colón, the beauty of Rio de Janeiro, and the struggle to find a bilingual piano tuner to accompany them. Read More...
Original program cover from a 1956 concert of the London Philharmonia Orchestra with Herbert von Karajan and Clara Haskil, boldly signed by both the great conductor and the renowned Romanian-born pianist. In the final concert of the Philharmonia's Mozart Tour of Europe on February 6, 1956, the orchestra presented Mozart's Symphonies nos. 35 and 41, with Haskil performing the piano concerto in A, K488. Toning, some light smudges and edge wear; overall in very good condition. 7.25 x 9.5 inches (18.4 x 24.2 cm). Read More...
146.
[Instrumentalists]
Hubay, Jeno. (1858 - 1937). "Le Luthier de Cremona" - Autograph Musical Quotation on a Photograph Postcard
Fine AMQS from the celebrated Hungarian violinist, on the verso of a photograph postcard of himself. Hubay has penned one measure from his opera "Le Luthier de Cremona," signed and dated Budapest 1929, April 26th. Autograph material from Hubay is scarce. Light toning; otherwise in very fine condition. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (8.5 x 13.7 cm). Read More...
Original program from a Paris recital given by the Basque pianist, boldly signed on the cover and dated 1950. The cover features a half-tone photograph of Iturbi with his cigar; the program included works by Mozart, Schumann, Liszt, Ravel, Albeniz, Debussy, and Gershwin. One vertical crease and slight water stain at the head; overall in very good condition. 8.25 x 11 inches (21 x 27.6 cm). Read More...
Original program from a concert given in Budapest on November 7, 1912 by the great Russian-born pianist, boldly signed in pencil alongside the list of works. The concert included works by Bach/Liszt, Beethoven, Schubert/Liszt, Schumann, Chopin, Rubinstein and Schulz-Evler; corrections have been made in ink to the program by another hand. An early signature from the pianist, who had success in Moscow and Berlin before emigrating to the United States in 1919. Folding creases, light wear and toning; overall in very good condition. 6 x 8.75 inches (15.1 x 22.2 cm). Read More...
Scarce typed letter signed from the Romanian pianist and composer, addressed to the pianist Lucette Descaves, the goddaughter of Saint-Saëns who was a student of Marguerite Long and Yves Nat. Dated Sils, July 29, 1946. Lipatti apologizes profusely for not being able to act as a judge in a piano competition presided over by Descaves, mentioning the difficulty of rescheduling concerts in Switzerland since the end of World War II. 2 pp. on a bifolium; letterhead of the Hotel Waldhaus, Engadin. Folding creases; overall in fine condition. 5.75 x 7 inches (14.6 x 18.2 cm). Read More...
Uncommon signed doubleweight Seeberger of Paris photograph of the blind French organist and teacher, one of the great initiators of the twentieth-century organ revival in France, an unparalleled improviser recognized as such by Fauré, titular organist of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés (1915–1945) and Saint-Eustache (1945–1963). 6.25 x 9 inch photograph of a smiling Marchal at the organ console, signed on the instrument console and inscribed in the lower blank margin. Small staining along the lower edge slightly affecting the inscription only, else fine.
Small format original photograph of the great violinist as a young man, boldly signed and dated 1936. He is shown playing, heavily silhouetted in a circle of light. Light wear to the surface and mounting remnants on the verso; otherwise in fine condition. 3.5 x 3.75 inches (8.9 x 9.8 cm).
Charming typed letter signed from the important Austrian violinist who made her later career in the United States, to violinist Josef Gingold, thanking him for the party after a concert in Detroit and asking him to look for a lost shawl. March 23, 1936. "I want to tell you once again how much I enjoyed being with you, and what a grand time I had at the party you gave for me after the concert in Detroit." She signs, "your pal, Erica." Morini had appeared as a soloist with the Detroit Symphony in final concert of their 1946 season, playing Bruch's violin concerto in G minor; Gingold was the concertmaster of the orchestra. 1 p. 7.25 x 10.5 inches (18.4 x 26.6 cm). Read More...
A beautiful signed photograph of the great Austrian Jewish violinist, inscribed to the impresario and Columbia Artists manager André Mertens, Morini's "manager and dear friend." Dated 1943. Photographed by James Abresch of New York. In very fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.2 x 25.3 cm). Read More...
Autograph letter from the Bohemian composer and piano virtuoso whose career after his early years was based initially in London, and later at Leipzig, where he succeeded his friend and sometime pupil Felix Mendelssohn as head of the Conservatoire. Read More...
An autograph note cancelling a lesson, penned by the German-Jewish composer, pianist, and teacher known for his great output of piano works. Postmarked May 16, 1908. Addressed to pianist Harry Cumpson, the letter reads (translated from the French): "I don't remember if I told you that I cannot give you your lesson tomorrow. I am going away for a few days and won't return until Friday evening..." Perforated edges and light wear; overall in fine condition. 4.5 x 6.25 inches (11.7 x 15.8 cm). Together with an original photograph postcard of the composer, in fine condition. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (8.5 x 13.6 cm). Read More...
Berlin - Wien: Schlesinger-Haslinger. [Ca. 1875]. Score of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody no. 12 ("A J. Joachim"), with the ownership stamp of the important twentieth-century German pianist Elly Ney, who has also penned "12. Ungarische Rhapsodie" in blue ink at the head. A few paper repair within, edges lightly nicked with small tears, spine reinforced with green cloth, overall very good. There are no markings within the score. Read More...
Scarce signed postcard photograph, ca. 1970, of the gifted English pianist and composer described as "a genius of enormous sensitivity and very great humour" (Peter Maxwell Davies). Regarded as a "gentle giant", known and loved for his kindness and generosity, he had tremendous energy but was later diagnosed with schizophrenia, then manic depression (now referred to as bipolar disorder). He died tragically young of pneumonia, brought on by undiagnosed diabetes. 9.5 x 14.5 cm. Fine.
An original signed photograph of the legendary Soviet violinist playing in concert dress. Signed and inscribed to musicologist Yefim Gershovsky and dated May 8, 1960. 14 x 9 cm. In fine condition. Read More...
Autograph signatures from the renowned Ukrainian father and son violinists, on a page removed from a Deutsche Grammophon record catalog presenting their photographs and biographies. Their recording of the Bach and Vivaldi concertos for two violins was released by DG in 1961. Two sides of one leaf. In very fine condition. 15 x 21 cm.
160.
[Instrumentalists]
Philipp, Isidor. (1863 - 1958). "Valses Capricieuses" - Inscribed with an Autograph Musical Quotation
Paris: Au Ménestrel Heugel & Cie. 1905. First edition. An uncommon signed presentation copy from the renowned French pianist, composer and pedagogue of Hungarian birth. An attractive art nouveau edition, inscribed on the decorative title page to the first prize winner for piano at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux: "Pour Melle. Madeleine Bergès / avec tout ma sympathie / 1918 / I. Philipp" and adding a two measure AMQS above. Foxing over cover, more minor scattered foxing and some pencil markings throughout, front seem partially split, else fine. Read More...
Original program cover from the February 13, 1957 British premiere of William Walton's Cello Concerto, boldly signed by the great cellist and conductor. The performance took place at the Royal Festival Hall with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Sargent. Piatigorsky has signed at the head in red ink, and Sargent at the foot in blue pencil. Slightly smudged but overall in fine condition. One page. 5.5 x 8.5 inches (13.9 x 21.4 cm). Read More...
An original glossy black and white photograph of the great Russian pianist, boldly signed and inscribed across the foot in German with thanks. Photographed by Christian Steiner for the Soviet label Melodiya. In very fine condition, mounted on an album leaf with light mounting remnants on the verso. 4.5 x 7.25 inches (11.3 x 18.3 cm), mounted to 7 x 9 inches (18 x 23.3 cm).
Autograph signature from the great pianist, boldly signed on a card with the address, 274 Washington Avenue. Undated. In very fine condition. 4.5 x 3.5 inches (11.6 x 8.9 cm). Read More...