Four single-spaced typed paragraphs on a single page, signed "John Cage" above the typed line "Copyright c 1964 by John Cage," with 1 pencil correction in the text. Folded twice for mailing, overall very good. Read More...
New York: American Composers Alliance. 1953. COMPOSERS FACSIMILE EDITION 195[3], printed signature "John Cage," copyright statement and dedication to Broadus Erle, instruction "See "57 1/2" for explanation of notation." Printed on 2 large sheets (56 x 43 cm), each folded twice with graphic and unusual indeterminate musical notation printed across resulting double sheets and with 5 such large pages of music total between the cover pages. Red ink stamp of the American Composers Alliance Library, toned, abrasions and small tear along fold. Rare, Worldcat listing only one copy. Read More...
Abrams, NY, 1988. Hardcover. Book Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. With a note by John Russell. Illustrated. First edition thus. Very slight spine slant, else fine in a fine dust jacket.
A fine AMQS from the influential American composer, noted as an explorer of unusual timbres and extended avant-garde technique. On thick cardstock, 14 x 18 cm.
From the composer's most celebrated work, "Makrokosmos," a series of short character pieces using extended technique on a prepared piano.
Bold signature on a 1979 first day commemorative postal cover honoring American music. In very fine condition, a rare signature from the U.S.-born composer who lived and worked in Mexico, spending most of his life in relative isolation. Signed Nancarrow material of any kind is very uncommon. Read More...
Rare signed double LP set, released by Partch himself on his own private Gate 5 label, this copy signed and inscribed to longtime friends from whom Partch rented a cabin in Santa Rosa, CA: "With love to Bud and all the Zollers, both Palpable and Crypto. Harry - August 16, 1957." The records and the sleeve in very fine condition. Read More...
Signed 1965 BMI biography/catalogue by the important American composer. 22 pages of biographical information, photographs, musical excerpts and a catalogue of works, signed on the inside front cover over a printed excerpt from his Third Symphony. Very fine. 19 x 22.5 cm. Read More...
Signed album from the prolific jazz composer, bandleader, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. "The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra - Volume 2" (ESP-DISK 1017) signed and inscribed on the lower part of the front cover in blue ballpoint., "To Dana, Dawn and Jodi From Sun Ra." With some surface and edge wear to cover, seam splits on edges, the record is included though in apparently poor condition. Together with a modern 8 x 10 inch glossy photograph.
Munich: Heiner Friedrich Editions. 1969. First edition. 8vo. pp. unnumbered [100 pp]. Caligraphically inscribed in black ink on the inside front endpage, opposite the title: "To David, with all good vibrations. La Monte, Marian / 25/6/76 / LA." 2 pages replaced by the publisher, laid over existing pages and with heavy glue show-through as is typically seen, but otherwise an uncommonly fine copy throughout. Read More...
New York: Gramavision Records. 1987. Signed and inscribed large glossy 1987 recording-insert booklet (no recordings included) from La Monte Young's five-hour long performance of his masterpiece "The Well-Tuned Piano." 24 pp, 11.75 x 11.5 inches. Also signed by Young's collaborator, Marian Zazeela, the influential light-artist, designer, painter and musician. Inscribed by both on the inside front cover to Young's optometrist, Dr. Josh Carter: "with appreciation for your vision, / Love, / La Monte Young / Marian Zazeela / 89 VIII 29 / San Francisco." Sold together with a few xeroxes related to Young's contact lens prescriptions, a 1989 Dia Art Foundation brochure and a 1989 MELA Foundation flyer, both advertising Young/Zazeela appearances.
Garden City: Doubleday Doran. 1945. Second printing. Signed presentation copy from the composer, inscribed: “For Tom (Monroe), One of the few and one of the best with admiration from his friend, George Antheil.” Antheil has added a three-measure AMQS from an unidentified composition as a part of his inscription. Very good copy with a bit of dust soiling and slight edge wear, without dust jacket. Read More...
Chicago: Pascal Covici. 1927. First American edition. 8vo. First edition. Red/brown cloth over boards with black; rubbed and shelfworn. Unclipped dj is in fair to good condition with a small surface gouge on front cover and some chipping, edgwear/fraying. Overall good.
Original 1936 richly printed halftone Man Ray photograph of the composer removed from a vintage Esquire magazine issue. Titled: "ANTHEIL: A MAN RAY VIEW OF A MANY SIDED JACK OF ARTS," the text below the large image reads in full: "He's thirty-five now, who was l'enfant terrible of modern music at twenty-two; who has known everybody from Joyce, James to Joyce, Peggy; lived everywhere and done everything; had four different ballet premieres last season and three films, two of them by Hechat and MacArthur; has written two operas and is writing a third, has an eye on the opera-movie form next; has appeared all over Europe as a concert pianist; haunts shooting galleries and plays poker with reporters in police stations; lives in the Fifties just off Fifth; is sufficient psychologist to convince Miriam Hopkins that he is a phenomenal fortune teller; now brings to these pages his most consistently fascinating hobby, the parlor-bedroom-and-bath sport of amateur endocrinology." 9.75 x 13.75 inches (25 x 35 cm) and in fine condition.
Printed 5.5 x 3.5 inch promotional postcard for a lecture by Henry Cowell titled "What is Proletarian Music?" at the Ruthenberg House Auditorium of the Worker's School, 121 Haight Street [San Francisco, 1928]. A touch of subtle toning and tiny tear to bottom edge, otherwise fine, clean condition. Read More...
An interesting and apparently unknown autograph manuscript from the pioneering American composer, theorist, pianist, publisher and impressario.
Ink manuscript music on printed staves. 2+ pp. on 4-page conjugate. 31.7 x 24 cm. (12. 5 x 9"). Signed and titled at the top of the first page, along with notation "Moderato Legato" and "Flowingly", scored for VI, VII, Vla, and cello. Not listed in the Cowell works catalogue.
Partly-printed document, signed “Henry Cowell” twice on each side, 2 pages [back to back], 4to [10-15/16 in. x 8-7/16 in.], [New York City], undated. ASCAP-ACA Survey Form, completely filled in by Cowell in ink, registering his composition “Amiable Conversation,” composed in “1918?” with pertinent information about copyrights, publishers, running time, etc. On verso, he registers another composition, “The Voice of Sir,” composed in “1920,” supplying similar information about the composition. His signature appears in the body and at the end of both pages. Paperclip stain on one side, otherwise in very good condition.
Very rare signed contract, signed "Chas. E. Ives" in his usual shaky script in ink. 1 page. May 31, 1940. The contract authorizes Arrow Music Press to publish the song "Two Little Flowers," in accordance with the terms printed therein, and as subsidized by the composer himself at a cost of $33.07. Ives's wife, Harmony, has added a note that the enclosed "cheque also includes cost of 'The Greatest Man.'" In very fine condition with two holes punched in top margin and measuring 8 x 10 inches. Read More...
Fine AMQS on small gilt-edged card embossed with a pewter-tone head of an irish setter. Dated Boston, 1882. Four bars of music with words from his most famous composition, his waltz-song "Il Bacio," with tempo noted as "Valse Cantabile." Inscribed to Madame Errani (probably the wife of Italian Operatic Tenor and Singing Teacher, Achille Errani), with greeting "A Happy New Year." Read More...
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Autograph letter from the great jazz musician. In green ink, March 5, 1954. "Whattcha See Bob? Man I am jitting these few lines down to tell you to keep Swingin and never stop. I meanes that. 'Hear? From Louis Satchmo Armstrong." Tape remnants at upper corners, else fine.
While signatures and signed photographs are reasonably plentiful, signed autograph letters from Armstrong are very rare.