Hardcover. 8vo. 125 pp. Signed and inscribed by the great American military bandleader on the front free end paper to his favorite soprano , "To / Miss Estelle Liebling / From / John Philip Sousa / 1903" in black ink. Illustrations by Howard Chandler Christy. A few black and white illustrations throughout protected by tissue. Punctures on the front board, one of which slightly penetrating through the first 10 pages. Some toning to the pages, especially the ffe. Front joint separating internally along the endpage, else very good. A remarkable association copy.
Estelle Liebling (1880 – 1970) was an American soprano, composer, arranger, music editor, and celebrated voice teacher and vocal coach. From 1902 to 1904 she was committed to the Metropolitan Opera, and from 1902 to 1905 she toured internationally in more than 1,600 concerts with John Philip Sousa and his band.
Liebling began her teaching career in the 1910s, not stopping until her death more than 50 years later and during her career, was the vocal coach or voice teacher of 78 principal singers at the Met. Among her notable students were sopranos Beverly Sills, Amelita Galli-Curci, Maria Jeritza, Kitty Carlisle, and Margaret Truman; baritones Titta Ruffo and Alexander Sved; Wagnerian tenor Max Lorenz; dancer Adele Astaire; actresses Joan Crawford, Gertrude Lawrence, and Meryl Streep; socialite Irene Mayer Selznick; and Hollywood gossip queen Louella Parsons!
Sousa was also an aspiring novelist. His 1902 novel "The Fifth String" recounts the story of Angelo Diotti, an Italian violinist who makes a Faustian deal with the Devil. Diotti acquires a special violin fitted with magical strings that elicit Hope, Pity, Love, and Joy from the audience. It also has an extra fatal string. Sousa writes: “ ‘But that extra string?’, interrupted Diotti, designating the middle one on the violin, a vague foreboding rising within him. ‘That,’ said Mephistopheles, solemnly, and with no pretense of sophistry, ‘is the string of death, and he who plays upon it dies at once.’ ‘The–string–of–death!’ repeated the violinist almost inaudibly.”
Hardcover. 8vo. 125 pp. Signed and inscribed by the great American military bandleader on the front free end paper to his favorite soprano , "To / Miss Estelle Liebling / From / John Philip Sousa / 1903" in black ink. Illustrations by Howard Chandler Christy. A few black and white illustrations throughout protected by tissue. Punctures on the front board, one of which slightly penetrating through the first 10 pages. Some toning to the pages, especially the ffe. Front joint separating internally along the endpage, else very good. A remarkable association copy.
Estelle Liebling (1880 – 1970) was an American soprano, composer, arranger, music editor, and celebrated voice teacher and vocal coach. From 1902 to 1904 she was committed to the Metropolitan Opera, and from 1902 to 1905 she toured internationally in more than 1,600 concerts with John Philip Sousa and his band.
Liebling began her teaching career in the 1910s, not stopping until her death more than 50 years later and during her career, was the vocal coach or voice teacher of 78 principal singers at the Met. Among her notable students were sopranos Beverly Sills, Amelita Galli-Curci, Maria Jeritza, Kitty Carlisle, and Margaret Truman; baritones Titta Ruffo and Alexander Sved; Wagnerian tenor Max Lorenz; dancer Adele Astaire; actresses Joan Crawford, Gertrude Lawrence, and Meryl Streep; socialite Irene Mayer Selznick; and Hollywood gossip queen Louella Parsons!
Sousa was also an aspiring novelist. His 1902 novel "The Fifth String" recounts the story of Angelo Diotti, an Italian violinist who makes a Faustian deal with the Devil. Diotti acquires a special violin fitted with magical strings that elicit Hope, Pity, Love, and Joy from the audience. It also has an extra fatal string. Sousa writes: “ ‘But that extra string?’, interrupted Diotti, designating the middle one on the violin, a vague foreboding rising within him. ‘That,’ said Mephistopheles, solemnly, and with no pretense of sophistry, ‘is the string of death, and he who plays upon it dies at once.’ ‘The–string–of–death!’ repeated the violinist almost inaudibly.”