60.
[Instrumentalists]
[Harmonica]. "How to Play the Harmonica" - Instructional Booklet
Instructional booklet on how to play the harmonica, sold by Von Hofe's Music Shop in Johnson City, Tennessee. The booklet includes instruction on various techniques, several short pieces for the instrument, historical information ("Abraham Lincoln played but one instrument—the harmonica. He called it his 'band.'"), and a guide to the different types of harmonica that exist. 24 pp. In fine condition. 3.5 x 8.25 inches (8.9 x 21 cm.).
Upright folio. One unpaginated bifolium. Basel: Max Pohl-Wohnlich Musikalienhandlung, n.d. No. PN. Graphically striking decorative title in red and white, with writing in black. Music to fol. 1v and 2r; fol. 2v blank. Piano piece, probably intended for children; more pieces for children, likewise obscure, advertised to foot of fol. 2r. Somewhat frayed and foxed, small surface loss to upper left corner. The publishing house of Max Pohl-Wohnlich existed in the early twentieth century.
New York: Gershwin Publishing Corporation. 1935. First edition, second issue. The Theatre Guild presents Porgy and Bess. Libretto by Du Bose Heyward Lyrics by Du Bose Heyward and Ira Gershwin Settings by Sergei Soudeikine Orchestra Conductor Alexander Smallens Production Directed by Rouben Mamoulian. [Piano-vocal score]. Small folio. Original publisher's stiff printed grey wrappers with black cloth spine. 4ff. (photographic portrait; r. title, v. woodcut illustration of donkey pulling a man in a cart; r. Index of Scenes, v. Cast of Characters; r. Story of Porgy and Bess, v. dedication), 559 (music), [i] (blank) pp. Fuld p. 539. First Edition, second issue with the index of songs but still without the capitalization of "Negro," in the fourth line of the story. Light toning to covers, small tear to upper edge, overall an unusually fine copy overall of this rare score. Read More...
Firenze: Pietro Cecconcelli. 1620. First edition. Small 4to. (160 x 215 mm). 1f. (pictorial title including the arms of the Medici), 1f. (dedication to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo II), 2ff. ("Lettera del Sor. Giovambatista Strozzi all'Autore"), [v] (letters to Ottavio Rinuccini, Andrea Salvadori, Niccolo Strozzi, and Gabriello Chiabrera), [i] (cast list), [ii] (set design), pp. 3-31, [ii] (set design), 41-63, [ii] (set design), 65 - 94, [ii] (set design), 95 - 138, [ii] (set design), 139 - 162, 1f. (recto errata, verso colophon). With occasional decorative initials and woodcut head- and tailpieces and including 6 etchings by Jacques Callot (cf. Meaume) comprising the illustrated title-page, and 5 double-page plates representing the stage settings by Jacques Callot after the designs of Giulio Parigi. With the usual pp. 33-40 misnumberedd 41-48 and p. 89 misnumbered 98. Trimmed margins, but overall a very bright and fresh copy of this early 17th Century "Turkish" opera. Berlin Katalog 4112; Brunet I, 1089;Cicognara 1086 ('bellissime figure, prove freschissime); Gamba 1810 ('Tra le molte edizioni di questa tragedia e' la presente molto ricercata per la vaghezza delle figure'); Lieure 363-368; Sartori 22249. Allacci 729-730. Schaal 861. Wotquenne p. 132. Read More...
Sammelband containing 8 pieces of printed music for piano 4 hands, including first editions of works by Schumann, Gade and Schulhoff and early editions by Schubert and Mendelssohn. Of particular rarity and interest is the first edition arrangement of the Piano Quintet of Robert Schumann by his wife, the virtuoso pianist and composer Clara Schumann. In a letter to publisher Hermann Härtel (October 25, 2857), she writes: "I had mentioned to you once before that I wanted to simplify the arrangement of my husband's quintet. I have done so now and it cost me no little effort to do it without doing any harm to the composition. Happily, I believe that I have succeeded - I have played it myself with several people and nobody found it difficult. Would you like to have a look at it now or have some competent players play it for you, or would you rather wait until I myself come and then play it for you with somebody?" (Steegman, 173). Upright folio, bound volume measuring 13 x 10 inches (33 x 27 cm). "Vierhändig / 3." to front board. Black paper boards over dark green cloth, binding heavily scratched and worn, with frayed ends and split to front board seam. Handwritten Contents sheet bound in, 1-150 hand-numbered along top edge of all included works, bound in the following order. Scattered foxing throughout, some staining particularly to the upper right corner and outer edge of the first two and last 3 works, generally very good throughout. Read More...
London: Printed for the Benefit of the musical Fund; and sold by T. Payne and Son. 1785. First Edition. Upright quarto. Modern vellum imitation boards with brown morocco label to spine and gilt frame and lettering. Confusing pagination: pp. vii, [1], xvi, 8, *8, 9-20, *19-*24, 21-56, 21, [6], 26-41, [6], 46-90, [5], 94-139, [3], with the frontispiece and seven other engraved plates, two of them offering stunning views of Westminster Abbey during these vast concerts, and one being a full plan of the orchestra. 11.25 x 8.5 inches (28.3 x 21.8 cm). Scattered foxing; boards and spine somewhat worn; some pages stained to lower edge, five of which small losses in the stained area, but otherwise a good copy. Rothschild 544; Hazen, pp. 30-33; Chapman and Hazen, p. 161; Fleeman, p. 1570 (85.2BH/1a). Read More...
34. Varèse, Edgard. (1883–1965). "Offrandes" - Inscribed Full Score to a Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Engineer
New York: Ricordi. 1960 (date of "New Copyright'). Offrandes for soprano and chamber orchestra. Full score. 8vo. 10.5 x 7 inches (26.7 x 17.5 cm). 31 pp. [PN] NY 2074. Inscribed by the composer on the title to Peter Smith, then an engineering student working at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center, who had assisted Varèse with some of his early pioneering efforts in electronic music: "au Herr Prof. Peter Smith cordial souvenir Edgard Varèse." In original gray wrappers, slightly worn and with small stains. Miniscule pinprick through head of upper wrapper and first pages, else in very fine condition throughout. Read More...
39.
[Holiday Greetings]
Crumb, George. (1929–2022). A Little Suite for Christmas, A.D. 1979 (after Giotto's Nativity frescoes in the Arena Chapel at Padua)
New York – London – Frankfurt: C. F. Peters. 1980. Composition for prepared piano by the American composer. Oblong folio, in maroon boards, with original wrappers bound in. Lithographed. No. 66833 (no actual PNs). Title, [2] "Performance notes" in English, [3] contents and "Program note" in English, [4–5] same as [2–3] in German translation, 6–15 pp. 12 x 16 inches (30.5 x 40.6 cm). Withdrawn copy from Harvard University's Lamont Library, borrowed apparently only once (in 2008). In excellent condition. Read More...