Autograph musical quotation from the great composer, who has penned the instantly recognizable "Russian Dance" theme from his ballet Petrushka on a small card, boldly signed and dated [19]55. Slight ink blot to the signature; toning and some light soiling, with heavy mounting remnants on the verso. Otherwise fine overall. 4.5 x 3.5 inches (11.3 x 9 cm).
Original concert poster from a 1968 performance of Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat, Octet for Wind Instruments and Les Noces, conducted by the composer and Robert Craft and introduced by Gregory Peck. The concert, at UC Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall on May 25, 1968, was part of the university's centennial celebrations. The other performers included ballerina Marian Svetlova and singers Bethany Beardslee, Ursula Boese, Donald Gramm and Ernst Haefliger. Tape remnants to the verso, some creasing, and a small tear at the upper edge, overall very presentable. 17 x 22.5 inches.
Complete program from a performance of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, 10/11 December, 1946, guest conducted by Igor Stravinsky and signed in fountain pen "I Stravinsky" above a reproduction of a portrait of the composer by Picasso. Orig. printed wrappers, 8vo, 20 pp. Horizontal and vertical creases, somewhat toned, else fine. Read More...
Signed photograph of the great composer and conductor, inscribed to Cleveland Orchestra harpist Alice Chalifoux and dated February 27, 1937. Stravinsky is shown as a younger man at the piano, as photographed by Studio Lipnitzki of Paris in 1929. At the right he has penned: "Pour Mlle. Alice Chalifoux un 'thank you' bien sincère." In very fine condition. 9.5 x 7 inches (24.1 x 17.7 cm). Read More...
Signed half-tone photograph of the great composer, taken from a 1924 Koncertgebouw concert program. Stravinsky is shown in profile wearing glasses and a bow tie, and has signed below the image. On the verso, the program order for the concert, conducted by Stravinsky and Willem Mengelberg, which included his Firebird Suite and extracts from Le Rossignol, as well as Ravel's Scheherezade. Program dated November 23, 1924. One small edge tear and mounting remnants; slightly irregularly trimmed; overall in fine condition. 6 x 6.5 inches (15 x 16.7 cm).
An attractive signed quotation from the influential music educator, who has penned three lines in Japanese alongside a pen and ink drawing of a mountain landscape, signed at the lower left and dated 1971. The quotation is written again in English on the verso in blue ballpoint, again signed and dated: "If love is deep, much can be accomplished." Painting on textured paper mounted to thick card stock with flecks of silver leaf on the verso. One crease and a few edge chips; overall in fine condition. 10.75 x 9.5 inches (27 x 24 cm). Read More...
Zurich: David Bürkli. 1796. Fourth Edition. Schweizerlieder mit Melodieen. Des ersten Theils vermehrte vierte Auflage. An original collection of Swiss songs mostly for three voices and continuo, bearing an inscription on the title page supposedly from Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy to Jenny Lind. The inscription and signature are almost certainly spurious, but appear to date from the 19th century and share some similarities with Mendelssohn's hand, though here rather more shaky and uncertain than is seen in authentic examples. The volume contains settings of texts by Johann Kaspar Lavater, originally for voice and continuo, arranged by Johann Heinrich Egli for 1-4 voices and continuo, including 6 new settings by Egli, 2 to texts of Lavater and 4 to texts of F. von Stolberg. Cf. Refardt, E. Historisch-Biographisches Musikerlexikon der Schweiz. 88 pp. Printed in single-impression music type throughout, with an engraving to the cover. Disbound; title page detached, with heavy wear and toning; light edge wear and toning throughout but internally fine, overall very good. 10.5 x 8.5 inches (27 x 22 cm). The music is rare, with WorldCat recording only 8 copies outside Switzerland.
Signed photograph of the important twentieth-century composer, who is shown in profile by a window and has signed in blue at the foot: "Very cordially / Virgil Thomson / 1981." Photographed by Thomas Victor of New York. Slightly poor contrast to the inscription and some toning to the border of the photo, but overall in fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.5 x 25.5 cm).
Typed letter signed from the important twentieth-century composer and critic, regarding a piece about Arnold Schoenberg to be published in the New York Herald Tribune. September 21, 1949. To a Thomas L. Jeltrup, Thomson writes: "Your letter about Arnold Schoenberg was most welcome, and I thank you. I should have been tempted to publish it had I not received one from Aaron Copland also. I am printing the latter next Sunday." Folding creases and light overall toning; overall fine. 8.5 x 11 inches (21.5 x 28 cm).
Milan: Ricordi [Ms. Museo Teatrale alle Scala, Milan]. 1941. Number 3 of 300 copies of the Deluxe Limited Edition facsimile produced by La Scala to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of Verdi's death. An elaborate production, this copy was specially produced and dedicated on the limitation page for "Ecc. Cav. di Gr. Cr. Conte Ettore CONTI / Senatore del Regno." Large upright folio. 30 x 40 cm; 16 x 11.5 inches. Foreword by Ildebrando Pizzeti, 4 pp. in inserted heavy card folder (loose, as issued). Beautifully bound in modern blue cloth with crimson leather title plate to spine and in very fine condition. This copy produced for Senator Ettore Conti (1871 - 1972), Italian civil engineer, electricity industrialist, and influential businessman. Read More...
An original telegram from the important Brazilian composer to French musicologist and composer Jacques Chailley. Postmarked Paris, June 3, 1957. Translated from the French: "Many thanks again for your very interesting and touching interpretation of me and my works. Very cordially, VILLA LOBOS." Folding creases and toning; overall in fine condition. 8 x 6 inches (20 x 15 cm). Read More...
AQS on a small slip, signed "Richard Wagner." Wagner pens the iconic line from William Shakespeare's Hamlet, "To be, or not to be." Affixed to a piece of scrapbook paper and in very good condition, with some creasing, soiling, and small areas of surface paper loss; overall in very good to fine condition. 4 x 2.25 inches (10 x 5.8 cm), mounted to 4.5 x 2.75 inches (11.3 x 7 cm). Read More...
An amusing signed photograph from the composer and playwright best-known for "The Music Man" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." The composer has signed and inscribed at the left in black marker ink, dating July 28, 1972; additionally, he has humorously blacked out two of his teeth with the same marker! In very fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.5 x 25.6 cm).
Original Christmas postcard photograph advertising Swiss Kriss laxatives, signed by the great jazz man as "Satchmo" and featuring a photograph of him on the toilet! The card reads "Merry Swiss Kriss / It's a Must!" and bears two lines of music from "Jingle Bells" alongside the halftone photograph. Armstrong has signed boldly as "Satchmo" in blue ink at the foot. Scalloped edges, with some corner creases. 4 x 6 inches. Read More...
New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. 1983. Signed book from the Soviet-born Russian American dancer, choreographer, and actor, telling the story of The Nutcracker with photographs from his 1977 TV movie of the beloved ballet. Baryshnikov has signed boldly on the title page. 64 pp., unpaged. Hardcover, quarter cloth, with dust jacket; light edge wear to the dust jacket but overall in fine condition. 8.25 x 11.25 inches (21 x 29 cm).
London: Boosey & Hawkes. 1948. Choral score to Britten's 1948 cantata Saint Nicolas, signed in blue ink by the composer and by Peter Pears at the head of the first page of music. Small upright folio. 33 pp. B. & H. 16343. Spine reinforced with paper, wrappers and a few pages with small repairs to edges, bound with a later decorative cord. Overall in very good condition, contained in a custom blue cloth folder. The unique creative partnership between these two artists may be claimed to have been without parallel elsewhere in musical history. Read More...
AMQS from the secular cantata based on Longfellow's poem, by the knighted Danish-born composer. Five measures written in ink, addressed to Miss Adele Mead, and dated Christmas 1904. The quotation is a reduction onto one stave of the chorus section beginning "Then he said 'Goodnight.'" On a piece of rigid card with some discoloration and tape on the verso; otherwise in very good condition. 24.8 x 9 cm. Read More...
Autograph musical quotation from the French composer and pianist, who has penned the opening three measures of her song "Chanson de neige" and boldly signed. On a small sheet with a mounted photograph of Chaminade and her name inscribed in the collector's hand; together with the signed transmissal envelope affixed to the verso. Somewhat wrinkled, especially the mounting sheet, otherwise fine. 13 x 21 cm; 19.5 x 27 cm overall.
Autograph New Year's greeting from the great bass and brother of Jean de Reszke. December 28, 1907. On a letterhead card, he has penned (translated from the French): "With my best wishes for a good and happy year / Your friend, Edouard de Reszke." Some very light smudging; overall fine. 4.5 x 3.5 inches (11.4 x 8.9 cm). Read More...
Original New Year's card signed by the Hungarian-Austrian conductor known for his interpretations of the music of Mozart and Beethoven, as well as that of his teachers Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. The front of the card shows Haus Westerfeld in the Swiss town of Ermatingen, where the Fricsay family lived from 1952 on. Inside, Fricsay has signed boldly below a printed New Year's wish. In very fine condition. 6 x 4 inches (14.8 x 10.5 cm).