Abraham and Isaac: A Sacred Ballad for Baritone and Chamber Orchestra - Inscribed to George Perle

London: Boosey & Hawkes. 1965. Vocal Score. Upright folio. Printed wrapper, English title page, Hebrew title page, English & Hebrew text, instrumentation, pp. 1-19. [PN] B&H 19162. 9 x 12 inches. Inscribed on first page of score in red ink "To George Perle / A souvenir / From Stravinsky / Aug. 7 1965." Pencil correction on first page of score. In fine condition.


An interesting association copy, inscribed to the noted American composer and theorist George Perle (1915 - 2009) who founded the Alban Berg Society with Stravinsky and others in 1968.


When the Israel Festival Committee asked Stravinsky for a new work, he decided to set the story of Abraham and Isaac to a text in Hebrew, a language with which he was not familiar. The philosopher Sir Isaiah Berlin, who was a friend of the composer, helped Stravinsky to understand the sounds and structure of the text. Work was begun in 1962 and the score, which is dedicated to the people of the State of Israel, was completed on 3 March 1963. The work was premiered on 23 August 1964 in Binyanei He'Ooma, Jerusalem, by Ephraim Biran, baritone, and the Israel Festival Orchestra, conducted by Robert Craft (White 1979, 528). (10882)

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Signed Document/Item

Classical Music

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