MUSICAL

Autograph Letter Signed from 'Fanny Goode' [Frances Goode], sister of the composer Sir Henry Bishop, regarding her brother's final days and death.

Author: 
Fanny Goode [Frances Goode], sister of Sir Henry Bishop (1786-1855), English composer, best known for writing the tune to 'Home Sweet Home']
Fanny Goode [Frances Goode], sister of Sir Henry Bishop
Publication details: 
Undated. 13 Cambridge Street, Hyde Park.
£75.00
Fanny Goode [Frances Goode], sister of Sir Henry Bishop

4 pp, 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The unnamed recipient appears to have been named as executor in a prvevious will of Sir Henry Bishop. Opens in dramatic style: 'I was very greatly surprised to receive a letter from you this morning, dated from Brighton, as my poor Brother, Sir Henry Bishop, had not the slightest idea that you were still an inhabitant of this world, having heard of your death some time since, in consequence of which, he made another will similar to the one in your possession, but changing the executors'.

Autograph of the Welsh bass baritone Bruce Dragavel, on 'Programme of Old Time Melody Concert' by the Burslem Orpheus Male Voice Choir.

Author: 
Bruce Dargavel (1905-1985), Welsh bass baritone singer [Burslem Orpheus Male Voice Choir]
Autograph of the Welsh bass baritone Bruce Dragavel
Publication details: 
Programme for performance on 24 February 1946, at the Queen's Hall Burslem.
£25.00
Autograph of the Welsh bass baritone Bruce Dragavel

Programme: 12mo, 4 pp. Bifolium. Printed in green on orange paper. Text clear and complete. On lightly-aged paper with slight wear to extremities. Dargavel's signature is in pencil in the top left-hand corner of the second page: 'Best Wishes, | Bruce Dargavel'.

Autograph Signature of the English soprano Flora Marion Woodman ('Flora M. Woodman').

Author: 
Flora M. Woodman [Flora Marion Woodman] (d.1981), popular British soprano of the 1920s and 1930s
English soprano Flora Marion Woodman
Publication details: 
Undated.
£25.00
English soprano Flora Marion Woodman

On neat rectangle of grey paper, roughly 14.5 x 5 cm, laid down on piece of pink paper removed from autograph album. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Firm, bold signature: 'Flora M. Woodman./'

Signed photograph of Mrs Patrick Campbell (Beatrice Stella Cornwallis-West), laid down on a leaf from an autograph album which has the signature of the Czech violinist and composer Jan Kubelik on the reverse.

Author: 
Mrs Patrick Campbell (1865-1940; born Beatrice Stella Tanner and later Beatrice Stella Cornwallis-West), English actress; Jan Kubelik (1880-1940), Czech violinist and composer
Signed photograph of Mrs Patrick Campbell
Publication details: 
Undated. Photograph printed by Haycock, Cadle & Graham Ltd., Camberwell, London, S.E.5'.
£75.00
Signed photograph of Mrs Patrick Campbell

Fair, on lightly-aged paper. The publicity photograph of Mrs Patrick Campbell, : Roughly 10.5 x 13 cm. Printed in green. Depicts her leaning forwards, with neck and forearms exposed. Across the foot she has written: 'Beatrice Stella Cornwallis West. | (Mrs. Patrick Campbell)'. Laid down on a leaf from an autograph album, on the reverse of which is Kubelik's signature: 'jan Kubelik | 25.XI.1921'.

Autograph Signature of the Australian composer William G. James, together with the score of the opening bars of his song 'The Sun-God' in his autograph.

Author: 
William G. James [William Garnet ('Billy') James] (1892-1977), Australian pianist and composer [Aubrey de Vere]
Autograph Signature of the Australian composer William G. James
Publication details: 
Undated.
£125.00
Autograph Signature of the Australian composer William G. James

On one side of a piece of pink paper, roughly 18 x 7.5 cm, cut from an autograph album. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. At the head James has written ' "The Sun-God" W. G. James', with the opening two bars beneath this, beneath which he has written the words 'I saw the master of the Sun -' In the bottom right-hand corner: 'Yrs Sincerely | William G. James'. James's music for Aubrey de Vere's poem was first published in 1921.

Galley proofs of an article by the violinist Yehudi Menhuin entitled 'A Chivalrous Tradition', with a couple of minor corrections, for a volume celebrating Benjamin Britten's fiftieth birthday.

Author: 
Yehudi Menuhin (1916-1999), Anglo-American violinist and conductor of Russian-Jewish extraction [Benjamin Britten (1913-1976), English composer]
Galley proofs of an article by the violinist Yehudi Menhuin
Publication details: 
Published in 'Tribute to Benjamin Britten on his Fiftieth Birthday' (London: Faber & Faber, 1963).
£80.00
Galley proofs of an article by the violinist Yehudi Menhuin

On two slips, both 15.5 cm wide, and totalling 59 cm long. Fair, on aged paper, with minor rust marks from a paperclip. The second slip headed with pagination '48', and running title 'Festschrift in Honour of Benjamin Britten'. He is grateful 'for the eerie fog, for the rain, as for the sixth sense, rich imagination and irrepressible humour of this people, as I am for all that has been absorbed of outlandish and exotic rendered proper, of wisdom and experience rendered intuitive - as I am particularly for their having absorbed and adopted me.' With one of Menuhin's compliments slips.

Photograph from magazine signed Jan Kubelik, on detached leaf of album.

Author: 
Jan Kubelik, Czech violinist and composer, and others.
Jan Kubelik, Czech violinist and composer, and others.
Publication details: 
[Stoke-on-Trent, 25 Nov. 1921]
£35.00
Jan Kubelik, Czech violinist and composer, and others.

Leaf detached from album, some staining, complete and clear. On one side a photographic portrait of jan Kubelik which he has signed and which has been annotated with the above place and date. Overleaf appear the signatures of Phyllis Neilson-Terry, actress and the Russian tenor, Stefan Bielina, dated by him 9/12 1921.

Signed album leaf with Autograph Musical Quotation, bars from his 'Ave Maria', initialled PBK [Percy B. Kahn, composer] with signature of Jean Vallier, French Bass, and overleaf that of Landon Ronald with images of him clipped from magazines

Author: 
Percy B. Kahn, composer and pianist, composer of Ave Maria.
Percy B. Kahn, composer and pianist, composer of Ave Maria.
Publication details: 
Stoke-on-Trent, 21 Jan. 1921.
£125.00
Percy B. Kahn, composer and pianist, composer of Ave Maria.

Page detached from album, stained but writing clear and complete. The plain signature of Jean Vallier, French Bass, is followed by the title Ave Maria followed by two or so bars from the song, with words (A-ve Ma-ri-a gra-ti-a ple-na), itself followed by Best wishes from | Percy B. Kahn Stoke Jan 21st 1921. Note: His most noted composition was the song Ave Maria with accompaniment by piano, and violin obbligato.

Signatures on detached album leaf of Agnes Nicholls Harty, soprano, Hamilton Harty, conductor, Frank Mullings, tenor and others

Author: 
Agnes Nicholls Harty, soprano, Hamilton Harty, conductor, Frank Mullings, tenor and others
Agnes Nicholls Harty, soprano, Hamilton Harty, conductor, Frank Mullings, tenor
Publication details: 
[Stoke-on-Trent, no date, c.1920?]
£85.00
Agnes Nicholls Harty, soprano, Hamilton Harty, conductor, Frank Mullings, tenor

Page detached from album, some wear and tear but no losses, which contained numerous autographs provided at performances in Stoke mainly in the 1920s. One side of the leaf has the signatures of Agnes Nicholls Harty, Hamilton Harty, an illegible, and Frank Mullings, while overleaf are the signatures of John Booth, Margaret Balfour and Andrew Clayton.

Bold signatures of Paul Robeson and his accompanist and arranger, Lawrence Brown, on detached album leaf.

Author: 
Paul Robeson, African American concert singer (bass-baritone), recording artist, athlete and actor AND Lawrence Brown, pianist and arranger.
Bold signatures of Paul Robeson and his accompanist and arranger, Lawrence Brown
Publication details: 
1930
£100.00
Bold signatures of Paul Robeson and his accompanist and arranger, Lawrence Brown

Page detached from an album, 17 x 14cm, slightly foxed, mainly good condition, inscribed Every good wish | Paul Robeson | [Mar?] 1930 | Lawrence Brown. Note from wikipedia: Robeson and his accompanist and arranger Lawrence Brown were the first to bring spirituals to the concert stage; their association lasted through four decades.

Signatures on detached album leaf of members of the Kedroff Quartet.

Author: 
Kedroff Quartet [vocal quartet]
Kedroff Quartet [vocal quartet]
Publication details: 
[Stoke-on-Trent], 19 Jan. 1926
£125.00
Kedroff Quartet [vocal quartet]

Page detached from album, 17 x 14cm, good condition, headed Kedroff Quartet, with signatures, as far as I can make out, T. Kasakoff, Const Kedroff, J.. Denisoff, N. Kedroff, dated 19.1.1926.

Autograph Inscription on detached album leaf.

Author: 
Luisa Tetrazzini, Italian coloratura soprano.
Luisa Tetrazzini,  Italian coloratura soprano.
Publication details: 
Stoke on Trent, 9 Dec. 1921.
£85.00
Luisa Tetrazzini,  Italian coloratura soprano.

Page of album, 17 x 14, good condition, signed as follows: Souvenir from | Luisa Tetrazzini | Stoke on Trent 9th Dec. 1921 [underlined]. On the same page, the signature Ivor Newton [pianist] who accompanied her.

Bold signature and image on detached album leaf.

Author: 
Florence Austral, Australian opera soprano.
Florence Austral, Australian opera soprano.
Publication details: 
No date but another example of her signature from the same album was on same page as Elgar's, dated 1922 (Stoke) .
£56.00
Florence Austral, Australian opera soprano.

Deatached page from album, 17 x 14cm , good condition, yours sincerely | Florence Austral [underlined], with image of head and shoulders cut from magazine and laid down.

Bold Signatures on recto and verso of an album leaf.

Author: 
Fritz Kreisler, Austrian-born violinist and composer AND Nellie Melba, Australian opera soprano
Fritz Kreisler, Austrian-born violinist and composer AND Nellie Melba
Publication details: 
2 Nov. 1922 AND 1923.
£95.00
Fritz Kreisler, Austrian-born violinist and composer AND Nellie Melba

Detached album leaf, c.17 x 14cm, good condition, on one side signed Fritz Kreisler | 2/XI 1922, the other Nellie Melba | 1923. A small image of Kreisler, extracted from a magazine, is below the signature.

Archive of material, mainly comprising 150 Typed Letters addressed to the English operatic tenor Stephen Manton [Stephen Manton Bradbury], from the British Broadcasting Corporation, between 1944 and 1952, and concerning his work for the BBC.

Author: 
Stephen Manton [Stephen Manton Bradbury] (1908-1970), operatic tenor, director of the Intimate Opera Company from 1944 [British Broadcasting Corporation; BBC]
Publication details: 
The letters, all on letterheads of the British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC], mainly from Broadcasting House, London, dating from between 1944 and 1952.
£350.00

For more information about Stephen Manton Bradbury, or Stephen Manton as he was known professionally, see his obituary in The Times, 8 September 1970. The collection is in good condition, on aged paper. The correspondence from various figures in various BBC music departments, both London and regional, and in a variety of formats from 4to down to 12mo, breaks down to the following number of items per year: 1944, 8; 1945, 5; 1946, 30; 1947, 34; 1948, 32; 1949, 22; 1950, 11; 1951, 15; 1952, 1.

Autograph Letter Signed to the Earl of Aboyne (later the 9th Marquess of Huntly) from 'A C <Dugend?>' of Aberdeen, concerning the uniforms of 'the Band of Music' (Aberdeenshire Militia?), and containing a 'detailed estimate' of the cost.

Author: 
George Gordon, 9th Marquess of Huntly [known as the Earl of Aboyne from 1795 to 1836] (1761-1853) [the Aberdeenshire Militia (later the 3rd Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders)]
Autograph Letter Signed to the Earl of Aboyne
Publication details: 
2 January 1799; Aberdeen.
£280.00
Autograph Letter Signed to the Earl of Aboyne

Both letter and estimate clear and complete; both good, on lightly-aged paper. Letter: 4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Addressed, with faint circular 'ABER | DEEN' postmark in black ink, on reverse of second leaf, to 'The Right Honourable | The Earl of Aboyne | Montrose'. The letter is in two parts: the first (12 lines) on the recto of the first leaf, informs the Earl that 'The Buttons were sent by yesterdays Mail', and that, 'Some days since', he 'sent by the Mail Coach a pattern Coat as a Uniform for the Band.

Small collection of material relating to 'Music Today', comprising two advertisements, the programme for the inaugural concert, and a Typed Letter Signed from Hamilton to V. W. A. Conn, with the autograph draft of Conn's letter to Hamilton.

Author: 
Iain Hamilton (1922-2000), Scottish composer, chairman of the 'Music Today' contemporary music programmes, held in the Royal Festival Hall Recital Room [Samuel Beckett]
Publication details: 
All items dating from 1960.
£165.00

For more information relating to this influential series of concerts, see 'Pursuit: The Uncensored Memoirs of John Calder' (2001). Seven items, including two duplicates. Text of all items clear and complete. In fair condition, but with one side of a duplicate advertisement heavily sunned (see below). ONE: Typed Letter Signed ('Ian Hamilton') from Hamilton to Conn (husband of the poet Jeanne Conn), 12 February 1960. 4to, 1 p. Eighteen lines. Responding to Conn's criticisms, explaining reasons for cutting short discussion and cancelling part of the programme, and giving future plans.

Autograph Signature.

Author: 
John Hullah [John Pyke Hullah] (1812-1884), English composer and music teacher
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£20.00

Cut from a letter. On small rectangle of light-grey paper, roughly 2 x 4 cm. Fair, on aged paper with thin light strip of glue staining along top edge. Neat firm signature, underlined and overlined, reading 'John Hullah'.

Autograph Note Signed to unnamed male correspondent.

Author: 
Edith Coates (1908-1983), English mezzo-soprano opera singer.
Publication details: 
Undated; 31 Makepeace Avenue, Highgate, London.
£28.00

12mo, 1 p. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Punch-hole in top left-hand corner. Replying to an autograph hunter, she states that she has 'signed the programme' and has 'much pleasure in returning it with every good wish'. Good, firm signature.

Handbill poem entitled 'Baron Böhmbig [Bohmbig], or the Rival Jumpers.'

Author: 
[Jonathan Blewitt (1782-1853), English composer] [The Flying Dutchman]
Publication details: 
Without date or place. [London, 1850s?]
£75.00

Printed on one side of a piece of wove paper, 32.5 x 24 cm. Text clear and complete, on aged paper with chipping and closed tears to edges. The only copy of this title on COPAC is at the British Library (folio, 4 pp, published by Zenas T. Purday), where it is ascribed to Blewitt and tentatively dated to around 1850. Six eight-line stanzas with chorus 'Jump high, jump low, jumping we go.' Possibly written with satiric intent.

Four illustrated broadsheets. Three with words and music, to songs: 'Oh, Brother, did you weep?' by MacColl; 'Lament of the Soldier's Wife', 'words: Claudi Paley'; and 'Nam Bo', 'by an American'. The fourth with McColl's words to 'Yankee Doodle'.

Author: 
Folksingers for Freedom in Vietnam [Ewan MacColl; Claudia Paley; Karl Dallas; Gordon McCulloch; Audrey Seyfang; 'Catchpole'; English folk revival; sixties protest singers; Yankee Doodle]
Publication details: 
All four items 'FOLKSINGERS FOR FREEDOM IN VIETNAM/BROADSHEET KING 1967' [London].
£80.00

According to Karl Dallas (Morning Star, 16 November 2007) it was he who 'first mooted the idea' of an anti-Vietnam War 'campaign in the folk scene', with the 'singers' group' being formed by Dallas in conjunction with Ewan MacColl and Gordon McCulloch. The four items are excessively scarce survivals, with no copies of any of them appearing on COPAC. All are printed on one side of a leaf roughly 25 x 20 cm. Each leaf is differently coloured. The items are in fair condition, dogeared and with light creasing and chipping to extremities.

Autograph Manuscript musical score, entitled 'À la gigue. | F. W. (1924)', with autograph signature of 'Frank Wright' at the end.

Author: 
Frank Wright (1901-1970), Professor of Brass and Military Band Scoring at the Guildhall School of Music, and editor of 'The Conductor' [brass bands]
Publication details: 
Dated '21st December 1927'.
£100.00

On one side of a leaf of pink printed music paper, roughly 18 x 23.5 cm, removed from an album. Very good on lightly-aged paper. Twenty-one grand staff bars. Signed 'Frank Wright. | 21st. December 1927.' in bottom right-hand corner. According to Newsome ('The Modern Brass Band'), Wright was 'a highly influential figure in the brass band movement'.

Autograph Manuscript score of 'Quartett (unaccompanied)', 'from "The Lord is King" ', with two signatures (both 'Stanley Marchant').

Author: 
Sir Stanley Marchant (1883-1949), organist and Principal of the Royal Academy of Music
Publication details: 
Score and first signature 10 January 1909; second signature 20 September 1936.
£100.00

On one side of a pink leaf, roughly 18 x 23.5 cm, removed from an album. Good, on lightly aged paper. Staves ruled out in red, with notes and text in black. Seventeen bars, with staves for soprano, alto, tenor and bass.Titled 'Quartet (unaccompanied)' at head, with 'from "The Lord is King" | Stanley Marchant. | Jan: 10: 1909.' at foot. Beside this, in a larger, looser hand, in green ink, is a later signature: 'Stanley Marchant | Sept: 20: 1936'.

Signed Autograph Manuscript musical score of 'Interlude from "Bluebeard" '.

Author: 
Dr Douglas Hopkins (1902-1992), organist of Canterbury Cathedral
Publication details: 
Dated 'September 2nd. 1926'.
£100.00

On both sides of a piece of paper, roughly 18 x 23.5 cm, taken from an album. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Thirty-two grand staff bars, in black ink, with title and signature in blue. Signature, following the score, reads 'Douglas Hopkins | September 2nd. 1926'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('J. L. Hatton.') to Bennett.

Author: 
John Liptrot Hatton [J. L. Hatton] (1809-1886), English composer and conductor [William Cox Bennett (1820-1895)]
Publication details: 
26 October 1859; 3 Goswell St. E.C. [London], on cancelled letterheada of 13 Park Village West, Regents Park.
£36.00

12mo, 2 pp. Ten lines of text. Good. Asks 'upon what terms' he may 'publish some of the songs I have set from the charming volume you sent me'. He is 'acquainted with the Gentleman' to whom Bennett has dedicated his book: 'it was in his shop I was introduced to Longfellow'. Possibly referring to Bennett's 'A Sea Song' and 'The Sea-Boy's Dream', set to music by Hatton and both published in 1861.

Autograph Manuscript musical score, 'from Minueta Trio for pianoforte', signed by 'Leslie Regan'.

Author: 
Dr Leslie Regan (1900-1968), Professor of Harmony at the Royal Academy of Music
Publication details: 
Dated '10 July 1919'.
£100.00

On one side of a leaf, roughly 18 x 24 cm, removed from an album. Good, on lightly aged paper. Sixteen grand staff bars, followed by 'from Minueta Trio for pianoforte | [signed] Leslie Regan | 10 July 1919.'

Autograph Letter in the third person to the publishers Swan Sonnenschein & Co.

Author: 
Sir Charles Hallé [born in Germany as Carl Halle] (1819-1895), English conductor and pianist
Publication details: 
30 June 1890; Sydney, Australia.
£35.00

12mo, 1 p. Twelve lines of text. Clear and complete. On aged and grubby paper. A formal letter in the third person. He has 'received with surprise the enclosed invoice. [not present] He has given no orders for any copies of the work & must therefore decline to accept the parcel, should it have been sent out to him in Australia.' If it is 'lying at his London house' he will forward it to the firm 'on his return home'.

Autograph Signature.

Author: 
Marie Novello (1898-1928, born Marie Williams), English pianist
Publication details: 
Undated, but around 1917.
£35.00

On one side of a leaf (roughly 11 x 16 mm), removed from an autograph album. Good, on lightly aged paper, with some show-through from amusing drawing on reverse by L. E. H. Phipson. Bold signature reads 'Yours Sincerely | Marie Novello'. Drawing on reverse depicts a monocled old fogey protesting his love to a pretty young thing regarding herself in a handmirror. Captioned 'I'd rather be a young man's slave!' Signed by the illustrator 'L. E. H. Phipson | 6/12/1917'. Docketed in pencil.

Autograph signature ('Henry J. Wood') with publicity photo.

Author: 
Sir Henry Wood [Sir Henry Joseph Wood (1869-1944); the proms; Royal Albert Hall]
Publication details: 
Undated, but after his knighthood in 1911.
£56.00

On a leaf (roughly 21.5 x 14) removed from a programme. Grubby, worn and with a central vertical fold. Laid down on a leaf (22 x 18 cm, and ruckled and spotted) removed from an autograph album. The autographed page only carries Wood's photographic portrait (12.5 x 8 cm), captioned 'Sir Henry J. Wood'). Bold signature in bottom right-hand corner of photograph: 'Sincerely yours | Henry J. Wood'.

Autograph Signature ('Edgar T. Cook').

Author: 
Edgar Thomas Cook (1880-1953), organist of Southwark Cathedral
Publication details: 
Undated.
£20.00

On piece (15 x 16 cm) of laid-paper cut from a page of a diary. Creased and worn at head. Signature under heading 'March 18'. Lightly docketed in pencil.

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