"Orpheus" - The Extensively Annotated Copy of John Barbirolli, Gifted to Raymond Leppard

London: Novello and Company. 1891. 8vo.  [PN] 8146.  135 pp.  Piano-Vocal score signed to front free endpage and to title page by Sir John Barbirolli with extensive annotations in his hand throughout, and inscribed on front flyleaf by the conductor's wife Evlyn, who has written "For Ray Leppard. / With my affectionate thanks / for his beautiful music making / at St. James Palace 30.XI.71 / and at all times. / Evlyn (Barbirolli) / 8. XII. 71."  Together with Autograph Letter Signed, in full "8. Au. 71 / Dear Ray: / Alas all John's heavily marked scores are now in the British Museum (where they can be studied but not removed - even by me!)  This was an extra Orfeo score but it has a few markups in it.  It comes to you as a very small thank you for the other night.  I felt it was a lovely occasion and your music making was more than worthy of it and its object. / With love and gratitude thanks / Evlyn."  The occasion to which Barbirolli refers is likely a performance of La Calisto under Leppard's baton at the Royal Albert Hall on August 6, 1971.  Though the letter states that there only a "few markups," there are markings in Barbirolli's identifiable hand on approximately 100 pages, with the majority of those quite extensively annotated with dynamics, expressive markings, cuts, textual and musical alterations or insertions.  Red cloth, gilt stamped. Ten pages with old yellowed tape repairs, resultant staining to adjacent pages, a few pages with torn corners, else in fine condition.

The NY Times Obituary (10.22.19) describes Leppard as “a conductor who resuscitated moribund 17th-century operas in helping to nurture a major revival of interest in Baroque music, and who went on to a wider career as a guest conductor of major orchestras and the longtime music director of the Indianapolis Symphony….A prolific recording artist, he made more than 200 records, many of them with the English Chamber Orchestra, which he conducted starting in the early 1960s.”   Leppard, also an accomplished harpsichordist, played harpsichord for the Angel Records recording of Purcell's Dido & Aeneas in 1966, under Barbirolli's direction.   (19670)

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Art/Sculpture

Opera

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Unsigned Photo/Portrait

Classical Music

$1,600.00

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