Original signed photograph postcard of the beloved and important Norwegian composer, shown seated in a three-quarter-length portrait with his arms crossed. He has signed along the left edge: "This photo has no likeness. Edvard Grieg." Light toning, some mounting remnants on the verso; much of the ink has unadhered from the surface, mostly affecting the inscription rather than the signature. 8.6 x 13.5 cm.
Paris: Au Ménestrel, Heugel & Cie. [1905]. Score to the important Venezuelan-French composer's suite for winds, two harps and piano, Le Bal de Béatrice d'Este, corrected in Hahn's own hand in 1927 and with an autograph note from him regarding these corrections. The autograph note, affixed to the cover, reads (translated from the French): "December 5, 1927. Corrected copy (for orchestra and separate parts). See all the dog-eared pages and correct the materials according to this model. Reynaldo Hahn." Hahn has made autograph corrections to pp. 12, 16, 20, 22, 25, 27, 30, 33, 41, and 44, as well as corrections to the flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, cymbal and triangle, and piano parts. Read More...
Autograph musical quotation from the composer, organist and conductor who was also a Austrian Friar Minor and Catholic priest, on a postcard of Pompeii. Hartmann has penned a short theme of two measures in E minor, marked piano. At the right side, he has signed P. Hartmann, O. F. M., and dated Rome, November 18, 1904. On the verso, the postcard is addressed to the Argentinian collector Ramona Imaz Otaño. One large crease and some smudges; overall in very good condition. 5.5 x 3.5 inches (13.6 x 8.9 cm).
Moscow: VOKS. 1945. Score of the important Russian pianist and composer's Twenty-four Preludes, op. 38, signed on the cover by the composer, dated January 16, 1946, and inscribed to Leo Smit, the composer, pianist, conductor, and educator whose career spanned seven decades of musical life in the United States. [PN] 18188. 73 pp. Toning throughout, especially to edges; title page partially detached; shelf wear; overall in very good condition. 8.5 x 11.5 inches (22 x 29 cm). Read More...
A very interesting signed autograph statement from the important Italian composer, giving his advice to conductors on his orchestral work Impressioni dal vero. Dated Asolo, April 1924. Translated from the French, in full: "On Impressioni dal vero (part III). An orchestral score preceded by a long preface 'for conductors' cannot be a good score, because a work that is truly conceived for orchestra needs neither advice nor explanations. How then can I talk about my Impressioni dal vero (part III)? If I talk about it, I fear I will be accused of contradicition; if I don't talk about it, I fear I may be regarded as presumptuous! What can I say to conductors? In the "Festa in Val d'Inferno," the sound of bells, achieved by the violas and celeste, should be balanced so that it more or less comes through, without completely disappearing. For conductors, this is the most difficult task in this short score. In "I Galli" the musical expression should be revealed on its own; it is essentially nocturnal, but also somewhat luminous; some glimmers of dawn. If desired, one may give the entrance of the bassoon in measure six; it should be neither harsh, nor grotesque, but rather mournful. The "Tarantella a Capri" is built around rhythm. The insistent rhythm, which begins in the first measure and continues until four measures before the end, should always be rather strong, but the other rhythms above it should be obvious and dominant. There is what I have to say to conductors, and it is already too much! G. Francesco Malipiero." 2 pp. Deckle edges; folding creases and light toning; overall in fine condition. 6 x 11 inches (15.7 x 28.1 cm). An important document. Read More...
Original sepia Paola of Moscow photograph of the Russian composer and pianist, signed and inscribed to his contemporary, Polish American virtuoso pianist Josef Hofmann. Medtner is shown in a seated half-length portrait, holding cigarette and looking into camera, and has penned on the mount below the image in German: "Mr. Josef Hofmann / from his sincerest admirer." 5.25 x 4 inches, mounted to 10 x 6.75 inches. An extraordinary association. Read More...
Autograph letter in English from the important Russian composer and pianist to the music publisher Ernst Roth, requesting confirmation that he plans to publish Medtner's piano music and hoping to meet. Dated June 12, 1948. On letterhead of a London address, Medtner writes: "Dear Dr. Roth, I understand from Mr. Arthur Alexander that you will be printing nearly all my piano music by the end of this year. I should be very glad to have your kind confirmation of this at your early convenience. I hope there will be an opportunity of our meeting one day. Yours sincerely, Nicolas Medtner." Stamped with the date received at the lower right. Folding creases. 4to. Read More...
New York: Schirmer. 1950. Vocal score of the first full-length opera by the Italian-born American composer, boldly signed on the title page by Menotti and dated in pencil in another hand: March 31, 1984. Softcover. 201 pp. One small abrasion on the front cover; edge tears to the last two pages; light external toning and shelf wear. Overall in fine condition. 9 x 11.75 inches (23 x 30 cm). Read More...
Greenwich, Connecticut: New York Graphic Society. 1964. Picture book version of the Italian-born American composer's 1963 opera The Last Savage, boldly signed by Menotti on the copyright page. Another hand has dated above the signature in pencil: March 31, 1984. Illustrated by Beni Montresor, the book is "Gian Carlo Menotti's own narrative version of his opera of the same name. To it he brings the same virtuosity that has made his name one of the most luminous in the world of the musical theater." (Flap text.) 48 pp. Hardcover with dust jacket; one large tear to the back of the dust jacket repaired with tape; shelf wear and edge chips to the jacket. Overall fine in a very good dust jacket. 9.75 x 12.25 inches (25 x 31 cm). Read More...
Sammelband of 7 early nineteenth-century works for piano by composers including Henri Herz, François Hünten, Joseph Mayseder and Ignaz Moscheles, and featuring a striking lithograph on the cover showing Paganini surrounded by devils and witches. Disbound from a larger collection with the title page of the first piece serving as a cover (lacking binding). Remnants of binding to the spine. Wear and soiling to the cover; overall toning; some edge tears and repairs as noted below. Overall in very good condition. 9.25 x 12.5 inches (23.5 x 32 cm). Read More...
Steel engraving of the legendary violinist, after the famous ink drawing by Sir Edwin Landseer, who saw Paganini perform in 1831. Taken from the book Landseer's Works, where it was published as plate XXVI on the verso of p. 112. In very fine condition. 10.5 x 14.25 inches (26.3 x 36 cm). Read More...
Original postcard of Copenhagen with an autograph musical quotation and note from the great composer and lyricist to Albert "Doc" Sirmay, head of the music publisher Chappell. On a postcard of Kronborg Castle, Porter has written in pencil: "From the spot marked X Hamlet sang: 'To love or not to love.' / Cole. / The clippings are so welcome." The musical quotation, referencing Hamlet's famous soliloquy, is from Porter's song of the same name, written for the 1937 film Rosalie. Dated August 27, Elsinore, and postmarked Copenhagen, August 28, 1937. Stamp removed; some light toning; overall in fine condition. 5.5 x 3.5 inches (14 x 9 cm). Autograph musical quotations by Porter are of the utmost rarity. Read More...
Striking original caricature portrait of the important songwriter and composer, drawn by caricaturist Vincent Zito and signed and inscribed by Porter to Zito at the lower right corner. Pencil on paper, with a slight smudge to the signature, some spotting around edges and small stain at the top edge. 7.25 x 10.25 inches. Read More...
A very interesting collection of signed photographs, programs, and press clippings related to the Cole Porter musical "Seven Lively Arts." The items are taken from a scrapbook compiled by Bill Utely, who was a singer in the production, and include signed photographs of performers Bert Lahr, Beatrice Lillie, Jere McMahon, Paula Bane, Benny Goodman, Alicia Markova, Bill Tabbert, Billie Worth, and Dolores Gray, choreographer Anton Dolin, page boys Barry Laffin, Sonny Cavell, and Marty Miller, and many other singers, dancers, and others involved in the production. The collection includes a total of 26 signed photographs, 5 unsigned photographs of Utely, original programs from both the Philadelphia tryout and Broadway performances of the show, and 36 large loose scrapbook pages with numerous newspaper and magazine clippings, many with images, related to the show. Photographs all in fine to very fine condition, most 8 x 10 inches, with the exceptions of the signed pictures from Bert Lahr (5 x 7), Jere McMahon (3 x 3.75), Paula Bane (3.5 x 5.5), Barry Laffin (5 x 8), Ann Flynn (5 x 7), and an unidentified "Bob" (5 x 7). Scrapbook pages have heavy toning and edge wear, but overall in good condition, 11 x 14 inches. Read More...
Autograph musical quotation from the important composer, who has penned four measures from the melody part of his Mélodies, op. 35 (2. Lento, ma non troppo.), signed, and dated 1922. On a card, together with the original envelope used to send the autograph to an Antonio Barreras in Cuba, postmarked February 13, 1922. 13.5 x 8.5 cm. Light horizontal crease, else fine. Read More...
Striking portrait photograph of the great Russian composer ca. 1920's, shown in right profile with a slight smile on his lips. Printed somewhat later, with the signature of the photographer, Iris, Paris within the negative, lower right. Press stamp on the verso. One slight crease to the corner; overall in fine condition. 10 x 8 inches (25.8 x 20.4 cm).
Moskva: Gosudarstvennoe Muzykal?noe Izdatel?stvo. 1955. Study score of eight short pieces by Prokofiev in a little-known arrangement for string quartet by the Soviet conductor and violist Rudolf Barshai. The pieces consist of six movements from Prokofiev's work for piano, Visions fugitives (1915-1917) and two movements from Romeo and Juliet. [PN] M 24551 Г. Wrappers almost detached, with overall toning and some staining to the edges; otherwise in very good condition. 8vo. 22 pp. Read More...
58. Quantz, Johann Joachim. (1697–1773). Versuch einer Anweisung die Flöte traversiere zu spielen [...] mit Exempeln erläutet. Nebst XXIV. Kupfertafeln.
Breslau: Johann Friedrich Korn . 1780. Second Edition. Johann Joachim Quantzens, Königl. Preußischen Kammermusikus, Versuch einer Anweisung die Flötetraversiere zu spielen; mit verfchiedenen zur Beförderung des guten Geschmackes in der praktischen Musik dienlichen Anmerkungen begleitet, und mit Exempeln erläutert. Nebst XXIV. Kupfertafeln. Second edition of the important treatise on flute playing ["Instruction on Playing the Transverse Flute"] and performance practice, with 24 engraved plates of musical exercises and examples. [7]; 334; [42] pp., including index and and musical examples. Hardcover, paper boards with leather label to the spine. Internal toning and some light damp stains to the title page; boards rubbed with edge and spine chips. Overall in very good condition. 7.75 x 9.75 inches (19.5 x 25 cm). Eitner VIII, 100 - RISM B VI, 677 - vgl. Wolffheim I, 946 (First Ed. 1752). Read More...
Autograph musical quotation in the hand of the important German composer of Danish birth. He has penned three measures from the introduction to his piano suite "Märchen ohne Worte," op. 165, signed, and dated Vienna, March 13, [18]97. An elegant AMQS, boldly signed, in fine condition. On a card, 7 x 4.25 inches (17.6 x 11 cm). Read More...
New York: Williamson Music, Inc. . 1964. Sheet music to the beloved songwriter's song "Barnard! Barnard!", boldly signed by Rodgers on the front wrapper in black ink. 6pp. Central horizontal crease, a few other lesser creases and small stains, overall in very good condition.
Rodgers, who was a graduate of Columbia College, wrote the school song for Columbia's sister college Barnard on its 75th anniversary in 1964.