Rare signed letter from the prolific Czech composer. 8vo. "Brezen 24" (= 24. March) "'59", with the envelope postmarked Pratteln/Switzerland, 26.3.1959. To "Mila pani Miriovská," the Czech soprano Ema Miriovská (1891 - 1974), at the National Theatre in Prague, praising her appearance in "Snegurocka," Rimsky- Korsakov's opera "The Snow Maiden." Together with a recent reproduction portrait photograph.
Typed letter signed ("Béla Bartók"), in Hungarian, 1 page, folio (13½ x 8¼ in.), Budapest, September 14, 1937. To the literature historian and general secretary of the Hungarian Academy of Science, Géza Voinovich (1877-1952) about the publication of the Hungarian folk songs collected by Bartók and Kodály: "Since September 1924 the work for printing [the collection] is on the way. During that time I have revised the transcript of all the phonograph cylinders - 1062 cylinders - at the same time Kodály selected from the existing literature any related material….The material to be published comprises circa 12 thousand melodies, and the publication will consist of about 4000 pages 4to. In three years it will be possible to give the entire material to print…." Read More...
Head and shoulders portrait after Thomas Hudson, oil on panel, probably late 18th century. 24 x 19 cm (9.5 x 7.5 ins), old gilt frame with title and artist label attributing the portrait to Thomas Hudson to lower edge, David Messum gallery label to frame verso. Provenance: David Messum Gallery [now Messum's], 1983. Read More...
Boldly penned AMQS by the admired conductor and son of violinist, Jan Kubelik. Dated 10/5/1987, on an oblong sheet 14.7 x 21 cm. with an inset clipped magazine photograph. Fine.
Boldly penned AMQS from the popular English composer. Four measures from an unidentified work in B minor, marked "Con Anima" and "mf espress[ivo]" and signed "Granville Bantock." On a small paper measuring 11 x 5.5 cm. Scarce.
Boldly penned AMQS from the popular English composer. Three measures from an unidentified work, signed "Arnold Bax / March 2nd, 1933." On a small paper measuring 11 x 6 cm. Scarce.
Very uncommon group of four letters from important French composer and conductor, one of the major innovators and forces in 20th century music. Addressed to Dr. Manfred Hubricht, the letters concern the arrangement of four performances of Wozzeck in Frankfurt. Each 1 page, two in French, two in German, dated 21 May to 26 November 1966. Sold together with an original photograph (17.5 x 13 cm) signed in black ink "P Boulez" and stamped by the photographer Jean-Marie Bottequin on the verso. Read More...
Impressive AMQS from the important French opera composer to the celebrated soprano Delphine Ugalde. Four measures with text, inscribed to Ugalde and dated 24 September, 1879. A small clipped printed portrait of Thomas is affixed beneath the quotation and an additional AMQS by Federico Ricci, of a descending scale setting of the composer's name, is neatly penned above. The verso of the page features inscriptions and signed poetry quotations by the important French Mezzo-soprano Rosina Stoltz (creator of Ascanio in Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini, Marguerite in Auber's Le lac des fées, the title role in Marie Stuart, and two Donizetti heroines, Léonor in La favorite and Zayda in Dom Sébastien); writer and director of the the Opéra, Arsène Houssaye and his son, the critic Henry Houssaye; the actress Anaïs Fargueil. 31.5 x 23.5 cm [12.5 x 9.5 inches]. Fine. Read More...
Scarce original CDV photograph of the great violinist. Issued by E. Desmaisons (Paris), 6.2 x 9.8 cm. Slightly trimmed along bottom margin, otherwise fine.
Vieuxtemps was one of the most imporant musicians of the 19th century. As one of the greatest of all violin virtuosos, he was compared to Paganini by both Schumann and Berlioz. As a composer, he was an important reformer of the concerto and in this regard, according to Grove, "can be compared to Liszt."
Amusing original pencil drawing of a female pianist performing on an upright piano on stage, audience members seen lower left. In an unidentified but accomplished hand. 15 x 12.5 cm.
Autograph signature in ink on a white card measuring 8 x 5.5 cm and dated April, 1932, also signed and crossed out on the verso! A fine example from the French/American pianist, a Debussy pupil and specialist who wrote several books including "How to Play and Teach Debussy."
Scarce autograph signature from the remarkable and eccentric American violinist. A student of Hubay, Enesco and Persinger, she remained in Europe during WWII, living with Wolf-Ferrari in Germany and premiering his Violin Concerto in 1943. She was blacklisted in the US when she returned and her career never recovered.
Berkeley: Univ of California Pr. 1975. First Edition. Hardcover, in jacket. 205 pp. Clean, unmarked, tightly bound, in a very good dj with small tears at top edge and slightly rubbed. Ownership signature of John Grimes, timpanist of the Handel and Haydn Society and Boston Baroque, a long-time faculty member at Boston Conservatory and Vice President of the Boston Musicians Association. "The first general study of musical timbre."
Paris: E. Guyot. 1830. 8 vo. Half title; publisher's stamped autograph authentication; [i]; frontispiece portrait (N.H. Jacob, Lith. by Langlumé); Title; [i]; Avant-Propos [i, ii]; 1-66 pp. Foxing, some stains to margins, edges rough, in original printed brown wrappers, spine and corners chipped. Rare.
197. [Thoroughbass Manual] Kellner, David . (ca. 1670-1748). Treulicher Unterricht im General-Bass, worinnen alle Weitläuftigkeit vermieden, und dennoch gantz deutlich und umständlich vielerley neuerfundene Vortheile an die Hand gegeben werden, vermöge welcher einer in kurtzer Zeit alles, was zu dieser Wissenschafft gehöret, sattsam begreifen kann...Mit einer Vorrede des Herrn Daniel Solanders...Vierte Auflage. [Popular Eighteenth-Century Thoroughbass Manual]
Hamburg: Zu finden bey Christian Herolds sel. Wittwe. 1767. Fourth edition (first published in 1732).. Small quarto (8.4375 x 7 inches; 214 x 179 mm.). [6], 98, [6, "Register"] pages (signature collation: )(3 A-N4). Two large engraved diagrams (on pages 6 and 60) and two smaller woodcut diagrams (on pages 58 and 73) in the text. The wheel for the volvelle on page 6, depicting the "circle of fifths," is lacking (no volvelle wheels called for on pages 58, 60, and 73). Woodcut musical notation. Decorative woodcut head- and tail-pieces and initials. Read More...
Original drawing in brown ink, accomplished in the hand of the composer on paper with letterhead of the "Maison du Roi / Département des Beaux Arts", annotated in the hand of the Vicomte de Beauchesne [from the sale of his library]: «fait par Rossini, le 9 mars 1829». Together with a concert pass in the hand of the composer "Laissez passez 2 personnes. G. Rossini / A le 22." 16 x 19 cm.
A rare and interesting autograph letter from the great Hungarian composer, discussing future concerts and stating that if things go according to plans, he would like the make the whole program consist of a single work. "Aber, wenn es so gelingt wie ich es jetzt plane, möchte ich das ganze Programm als eine einzige Komposition gestalten." 2 pp. N.p., n.d.. To Dirk Nabering of the Gustav-Mahler-Gesellschaft in Berlin. Fine.
Autograph letter. 1 page. Lucerne, Oct. 22, 1990. On letterhead of the San Francisco Symphony, the Swedish conductor notes that he is "sorry to say, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt is not 'among the living' anymore," gives various biographical details and notes that "he was a wonderful musician, and a wonderful human being with a great sense of humor. I miss him very much..." Blomstedt, a devout Seventh-day Adventist, signs "May the Lord grant you continuous Peace and Joy. Sincerely, Herbert Blomstedt." Read More...