Books on Music

• Gilbert & Sullivan Three Operas of Gilbert and Sullivan (Pinafore/Mikado/Gondoliers) Grosset & Dunlap: New York, 1940. Boxed and numbered 425. Octavo. 46+47+47 pp. Leather with gold tooling. Spine chipped, otherwise very good.
  The stories of the three operas, adapted for young listeners, with charming illustrations in color, parts of the libretto and simple lines of music.
  BKS-00101 $30Inquire
• Gilman, Lawrence Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande: a Guide to the Opera Schirmer: New York, 1907. Octavo. 84 pp. Frontispiece portrait of Mary Garden. Music examples. Cloth. Corners bumped, otherwise very good. BKS-04969 $20Inquire
• Gilman, Lawrence Strauss Salome: a Guide to the Opera with Musical Illustrations John Lane: London, 1907. Small octavo. 85 pp. Frontispiece portrait. Music examples. Cloth. Corners a little bumped, otherwise very good. BKS-04968 $15Inquire
• Giltay, J. W. Bow Instruments: Their Form and Construction, Practical and Detailed Investigations and Experiments Regarding Vibration, Sound Results & Construction, including the Examination of the Views of Authors in Various Languages on the Physical and Mechanical... William Reeves: London, nd. Octavo. 129 pp. Cloth. Slight shelf wear. BKS-05085 $50Inquire
• Gingrich, Arnold A Thousand Mornings of Music: the Journal of an Obsession with the Violin Crown Publishers: New York, 1970. Quarto. 256 pp. Illustrations. Cloth with d/j. As new. BKS-09926 $50Inquire
• Gipson, Richard McCandless The Life of Emma Thursby New-York Historical Society: New York, 1940. Small quarto. 470 pp. Frontispiece photograph. Photographs throughout. Cloth. Fine.
  Inscribed by the author; dated 1941.
  BKS-00169 $40Inquire
• Glackens, Ira Yankee Diva: Lillian Nordica and the Golden Days of Opera Coleridge Press: New York, 1963. Large octavo. 366 pp. Frontispiece photograph. Many photos. Buckram. D/j slightly frayed, otherwise fine. BKS-09631 $25Inquire
• Glass, Beaumont Lotte Lehmann: a Life in Opera and Song Capra Press: Santa Barbara, 1988. Quarto. 3 pp. Plates. Cloth with d/j. Fine.
  Inscribed by the author to Rose Bampton.
  BKS-04940 $45Inquire
• Greilsamer, Lucien L'Hygiène du Violon, de l'Alto et du Violoncelle: Conseils pratiques sur l'acquisition, l'entretien, le réglage, et la conservation des instrument à archet Ch. Delagrave: Paris, 1910. first edition. Octavo. 124 pp. 4 plates. 50 illustrations. Wrappers. Very good, some shelf soiling. BKS-05087 $85Inquire
• Grillet, Laurent Les Ancêtres du Violon et du Violoncelle: les Luthiers et les Fabricants d'Archets, Précédés d'une préface par Thédore Dubois Librairie Générale des Arts Décoratifs: Paris, 1901. Quarto. 2 vols. Illustrated throughout. Limp boards. Covers rubbed.
  Ex-Wurlitzer copy, each volume signed in Rudolph Wurlitzer's hand: "June 14/21 The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company".
  BKS-07470 $750Inquire
• Grillet, Laurent Les Ancêtres du Violon et du Violoncelle: les Luthiers et les Fabricants d'Archets, Précédés d'une préface par Thédore Dubois Librairie Générale des Arts Décoratifs: Paris, 1901. first edition. Quarto. 2 vols. Illustrated throughout. Two unmatched volumes, one paper wraps, one bound in three-quarter leather (cover detached). BKS-07489 $350Inquire
• Grillet, Laurent Les Ancêtres du Violon et du Violoncelle: les Luthiers et les Fabricants d'Archets, Précédés d'une préface par Thédore Dubois Librairie Générale des Arts Décoratifs: Paris, 1901. Quarto. 2 vols. Illustrated throughout. Three-quarter leather with marble boards & raised bands. Binding rubbed, two pages loose.
  Bookplate of Rudolph Wurlitzer
  BKS-07490 $750Inquire
• Guilbert, Yvette How to Sing a Song: The Art of Lyric and Dramatic Interpretation Macmillan: New York, 1918. Small octavo. 136 pp. Frontispiece portrait. Several plates. Decorated boards. Slight sunning, otherwise very good. BKS-09649 $20Inquire
• Hamma, Fridolin German Violin Makers, A Critical Dictionary of German Violin Makers, With a Series of Plates Illustrating Characteristic and Fine Examples of Their Work William Reeves: London, 1961. Reprint of 1948 German edition. Folio. 49 pp. of text, 80 pp. of plates. Buckram with d/j. Excellent. BKS-09707 $450Inquire
• Hamma, Fridolin Meister Deutscher Geigenbaukunst Schüler: Stuttgart, 1948. Limited second edition of 1,200. Large quarto. 70 pp. 70 illustrations of violins (2 views & scoll each, often label), color portrait of Fridolin Hamma, woodblock portrait of Stainer. Quarter vellum, cloth boards with gilt crest. Internally fine; corners a little bumped; spine a little soiled. BKS-07457 $300Inquire
• Hamma, Fridolin Meister Deutscher Geigenbaukunst Schüler: Stuttgart, 1948. No. 641 of a limited second edition of 1,200. Large quarto. 70 pp. 70 illustrations of violins (2 views & scoll each, often label), color portrait of Fridolin Hamma, woodblock portrait of Stainer. Quarter vellum, cloth boards with gilt crest. Very fine, with original protective cover. BKS-09511 $350Inquire
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  Handel, George Frideric (1685-1759) Judas Macchabæs. A Sacred Drama. As it is Perform'd at the Theatre-Royal in Covent-Garden. [Two bound librettos]. J. Watts: London, 1760, c 1752. Early editions. Octavo. 20 pp. + 22 pp. Modern paper wrappers; back detached. Both librettos clean and in very good condition. A few penciled plus signs (+) at margins of c. 1752 edition.

  Two early editions, bound together, of the libretto to Handel's celebrated oratorio Judas Maccabæs, the first dating from c. 1752 and the second from 1760.

  Following its premiere in 1747, Judas Maccabæus was subjected to various changes, cuts, and interpolations throughout the first decade of its performance history. These librettos evidence some of those modifications:

  The libretto from c. 1752 reflects changes Handel himself made by 1751: he moved the Israelite recitative "O Judas" to the end of Part I and swapped the original air "O Liberty" for "Endless Fame thy Name adorning" (which originates in his own earlier oratorio Ester). In this copy, someone has pasted the texts for the recitative and air, which were originally published on an insert, onto page 11 (see images).

  The same Israelite recitative is followed by yet a different air, "Far brighter than the Morning", on p. 10 of the libretto from 1760. This switch was evidently made for a performance in late 1756 and remained in favor through at least the early 1760s.

  Both librettos contain a dedication page to Prince William, Duke of Cumberland. Handel wrote the oratorio to mark the Duke's victory at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
  BKS-15529 $275More Images/Inquire
• Harding, Bertita Magic Fire: Scenes Around Richard Wagner Bobbs-Merrill: Indianapolis, 1953. first edition. Octavo. 451 pp. Frontispiece portrait. Plates. Cloth. Fine. BKS-05280 $15Inquire
• Hart, George The Violin And Its Music Dulau & Co.: London, 1885. Second London edition. Octavo. 484 pp. Frontispiece portrait. Gold-stamped, embossed cloth. Some edge chipping, hinge repair, otherwise very good. BKS-09694 $85Inquire
• Hart, George The Violin: Its Famous Makers and Their Imitators Dulau & Schott: London, 1887. Small octavo. 450 pp. Patterned cloth. Cover and advertisement page have slight water-damage, otherwise good. Pages uncut.
  This is not the version of the edition that includes 60 engravings on wood that was published at the same time as this copy.
  BKS-05097 $45Inquire
• Hartnack, Joachim Grosse Geiger unserer Zeit Rütten & Loening: Munich, 1967. Folio. 335 pp. 16 pp. of b/w portraits. Cloth and d/j. Slight rip on d/j, otherwise very good. BKS-07978 $90Inquire
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  Harvey, Brian W. The Violin Family and its Makers in the British Isles: An Illustrated History and Directory Clarendon Press: Oxford, 1995. first edition. Quarto. 432 pp. Lots of illustrations, mainly black & white, a few colored. Dark blue buckram with original DJ. As new with original DJ.

  One of the latest and very well-regarded books on this subject
  BKS-14351 $225Inquire
• Hayes, Gerald R. Musical Instruments and Their Music, 1500-1750. Vol. II: The Viols, and Other Bowed Instruments, with an Introduction by Arnold Dolmetsch Oxford University Press: London, 1930. Octavo. 265 pp. 11 plates. Cloth. Unopened. Tears on spine, otherwise very good. BKS-05099 $50Inquire
• Hayward, John D. Chamber Music for Amateurs: Notes from a Library "The Strad" Office: London, 1923. Small octavo. 81 pp. Cloth. Spine tips bumped, otherwise fine. BKS-05100 $30Inquire
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  Heck, John Casper (1740-(?)) A Complete System of Harmony or a Regular and Easy Method to Attain a Fundamental Knowledge and Practice of Thorough Bass; with the Nature and Various Use of Concords and Discords explained, Conformable to the Modern Composition. Illustrated by a Variety of Examples. Entered at Stationer's Hall, and Published according to Act of Parliament. Printed for, and Sold by the Author, in Cambridge-Street, five Doors from the sign of Newcastle, Broad-Street, Soho Self-published: London, [1762/1768]. Small Quarto. 46 pp. (26 pp. text + 20 pp. musical examples). . Period marbled boards with vellum spine with gold tooling and leather label. Some foxing on a few pages and some transfers, but overall a very attractive copy.

  A scarce work of the English music theorist who is known for bringing to his work a knowledge of German music and musical theory.
  BKS-12661 $225Inquire
• Hegermann-Lindencronse, Lillie de In the Courts of Memory, 1858-1875, from Contemporary Letters Garden City Publishing Co: Garden City, NY, 1912. Octavo. 449 pp. Frontispiece portrait. Cloth. Tips rubbed, slightly worn, otherwise very good.
  The author is also known as Mme. Charles Moulton.
  BKS-04996 $15Inquire
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  Hellborn, Kreissle von and Arthur Duke Coleridge, translator. The Life of Franz Schubert. With an Appendix by George Grove. Vols. I & II. Longmans, Green, and Co.: London, 1869. first edition of English translation. Small octavo. 318 pp. + 336 pp. Frontispiece portrait of Schubert. Half-leather bound with marbled boards and edges. Raised bands at spine with gilt title and decoration. In excellent condition. Boards just very slightly rubbed; title label of Vol. I beginning to detach from spine.

  A very beautifully bound first-edition English-language set of the first biography of Franz Schubert, translated from the original German with an appendix by the famed music historian George Grove. (The first German edition was published in 1865.)
  BKS-15243 $400More Images/Inquire
• Henley, William Antonio Stradivari, Master Luthier, Cremona, Italy, 1644-1737: His Life and Instruments Revised and edited by Cyril Woodcock. Amati Publishing: Brighton, 1961. Octavo. 98 pp. 95 b/w plates of violins. Green gold-stamped leather. Near fine. BKS-05101 $60Inquire
• Henley, William Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers Amati Publishing: Brighton, 1973. One-volume reprint of the 1959-60 edition. Small Quarto. 1270 pp. Frontispiece portrait. Leather. As new with d/j. BKS-01075 $500Inquire
• Henschel, Horst and Ehrhard FRIEDRICH Elisabeth Rethberg: Ihr Leben und Künstlertum Städtischer Geschichtesverein: Schwarzenberg, 1928. One-volume reprint of the 1959-60 edition. Small octavo. 119 pp. Frontispiece portrait. Boards. Fine. BKS-05004 $35Inquire
• Hepworth, William Information for Players, Owners, Dealers & Makers of Bow Instruments, also for String Manufacturers, taken from Personal Experience, Studies & Observations William Reeves: London, [c 1920]. Reeves reprint (first edition was 1899). 12mo. 89 pp. + Reeves catalog. Cloth. Fine. BKS-07491 $25Inquire
• Hepworth, William Information for Players, Owners, Dealers & Makers of Bow Instruments, also for String Manufacturers, taken from Personal Experience, Studies & Observations William Reeves: London, [c 1920]. Reeves reprint (first edition was 1899). 12mo. 89 pp. + Reeves catalog. Buckram. Front cover waterstained, otherwise very good. BKS-09514 $20Inquire
• Heron-Allen, Edward Violin-Making As It Was and Is; Being a Historical, Theoretical, and Practical Treatise on the Science and Art of Violin-Making.. Ward Lock & Co, Ltd.: London, 1885. Second edition. Upwards of 200 illustrations, with 3 fold-out plates. Cover mostly detached, sewing loose; a good working copy. BKS-09495 $25Inquire
• Heron-Allen, Edward Violin-Making As It Was and Is; Being a Historical, Theoretical, and Practical Treatise on the Science and Art of Violin-Making.. Ward Lock & Co, Ltd.: London, 1885. Second edition. Octavo. 366 pp. Upwards of 200 illustrations, with 3 fold-out plates. Red cloth with gilt title. Fine condition with dust jacket (inscription on flyleaf). BKS-14156 $110Inquire
• Hill & Sons The Tuscan and Le Messie W.E. Hill & Sons: London, 1976. No. 158 of 2,000. Reprints of the 1889 and 1891 editions. Quarto. 60 pp. 6 color + 4 b/w plates. Cloth with leather spine. As new. BKS-07966 $75Inquire
• Hill, W. Henry and Arthur F. HILL and Alfred E. HILL Antonio Stradivari: His Life and Work (1644-1737), with a new Introduction by Sydney Beck and new Supplementary Indexes by Rembert Wurlitzer Dover Publications: New York, 1963. Third edition. Octavo. 314 pp. 53 b/w illustrations. Paperback. As new. BKS-05112 $35Inquire
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  Hill, W. Henry and Arthur F. HILL and Alfred E. HILL Antonio Stradivarius: His Life and Work (1644-1737), with an Introductory Note by Lady Huggins William W. Hill & Sons: London, 1902. first edition. Quarto. 303 pp. Quarter-vellum, cloth boards. Internally fine but covers rubbed and old leather repair strip to front hinge.

  This copy has three other items tipped in at the back: a magazine article entitled What are the Broad Distinguishing marks of a Stradivari Violin?from a Glasgow 1901 exhibition, the Hill book published in 1891 Salbue Stradivari: A History and Critical Description... (all 31 pages including three colored plates) and another magazine article from The Connoisseur entitled Old Violin and Musical Instruments, Violin-collecting by Wallace Sutcliffe.
  BKS-14159 $1,350Inquire
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  Hill, W. Henry and Arthur F. HILL and Alfred E. HILL Antonio Stradivarius: His Life and Work (1644-1737), with an Introductory Note by Lady Huggins William W. Hill & Sons: London, 1902. Deluxe first edition, no. 54 of 100. Grained half-leather with raised bands and gold tooling, green buckram boards. Folio. 303 pp. 27 color plates and numerous b/w illustrations. Half-leather, cloth boards. Fine, spine a bit rubbed. Slightly cocked.

  An excellent copy of the rarest of the Hill's remarkable tomes on violinmakers.
  BKS-09504 $2,500Inquire
• Hill, W. Henry and Arthur F. HILL and Alfred E. HILL The Violin-Makers of the Guarneri Family (1626-1762): Their Life and Work W.E. Hill & Sons: London, 1931. first edition. Folio. 181 pp. Sepia and color plates. Illustrations, two fold-out plates. Half vellum, Guarneri coat of arms gold-stamped on cover. Slightly soiled spine, otherwise fine in slipcase. BKS-09497 $950Inquire
• Hill, W. Henry and Arthur F. HILL and Alfred E. HILL The Violin-Makers of the Guarneri Family (1626-1762): Their Life and Work The Holland Press Limited: London, 1965. Reprint of 1931 first edition. Folio. 173 pp. Sepia and color plates. Illustrations, two fold-out plates. Cloth with d/j. Slightly frayed dustjacket, otherwise as new. BKS-05117 $125Inquire
• Hill, W. Henry and Arthur F. HILL and Alfred E. HILL The Violin-Makers of the Guarneri Family (1626-1762): Their Life and Work. W.E. Hill & Sons: London, 1931. first edition. Folio. 181 pp. Sepia and color plates. Illustrations, two fold-out plates. Half vellum, Guarneri coat of arms stamped in cove. A fine copy. BKS-09498 $950Inquire
• Hill, W.E. La Legende De Pablo Casals Editions Proa: Perpignan, 1950. Sm. Octavo. 139 pp. Leather Quarter. BKS-12434 $20Inquire
• Hill, W.E. and Sons "The Tuscan Strad", A Short Account of a Violin by Stradivari dated 1690 W.E. Hill & Sons: London, 1889. Quarto. 12 pp. plus fold-out. Stain on cover and frontispiece, otherwise fine.
  A scarce edition published without the plates.
  BKS-07326 $50Inquire
• Hill, W.E. and Sons The Salabue Stradivari: a History and General Description of the Famous Violin Commonly Called 'Le Messie', Containing many Particulars Obtained from Authentic Sources and Now Published for the First Time W.E. Hill & Sons/Novello, Ewer & Co.: London, 1891. Quarto. 31 pp. 3 colored plates. Cloth with gold-stamping. Covers quite water-stained as well as first & last blank, original silk ties present, internally fine. BKS-09524 $100Inquire
• Hill, W.E. and Sons The Salabue Stradivari: a History and General Description of the Famous Violin Commonly Called 'Le Messie', Containing many Particulars Obtained from Authentic Sources and Now Published for the First Time W.E. Hill & Sons/Novello, Ewer & Co.: London, 1891. Quarto. 31 pp. 3 colored plates. Cloth with gold-stamping. Spine tips, corners bumped, original ribbon ties present, internally fine. BKS-05119 $185Inquire
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  Hipkins, Alfred James (1826-1903) Musical Instruments Historic, Rare and Unique. Illustrated by William Gibb. Adam and Charles Black: Edinburgh, 1888. first edition. Large folio (16.25" h x 12.75" w). 108 pp. Edition limited to 1040 copies. 50 Plates in Color. Three-quarter red calf with marbled boards and raised bands on spine. Spine ends bumped and front cover hinge rubbed. Some occasional light foxing on a few of the printed pages, otherwise in fine condition, especially of the chromolithograph plates.

  This substantial book is possibly the first to illustrate instruments in color as well as to include Asian instruments, considered very exotic at the time. Also included are depictions of several illustrious instruments such as the Hellier Stradivari violin and Queen Elizabeth’s virginal.

  A nice copy of the difficult-to-find First Edition.

  The eminent English musician and musicologist Alfred James Hipkins (1826-1903) worked at the piano firm of Broadbent for the whole of his career and was considered the top authority on the history of keyboards.

  BKS-13399 $850Inquire
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  Hogarth, George (1783-1870) Memoirs of the Musical Drama Richard Bentley: London, 1838. Octavo. Two volumes: 465 pp. & 464 pp. Portraits. Three-quarter leather with marbled boards and raised bands, marbled endpapers, marbled edging. Tips worn, otherwise very good.

  Portraits include Mme. Mara, Farinelli, Dr. Arne, Mrs. Anastasia Robinson, Mrs. Billington, Mrs. Crouch.
  BKS-09670 $200Inquire
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  Hogarth, George (1783-1870) Memoirs of the Musical Drama Richard Bentley: London, 1838. Octavo. Two volumes: 465 pp. & 464 pp. Portraits. Three-quarter leather with raised bands & marbled boards, marbled endpapers, gold edging. Very good.

  Portraits include Dr. Arne, Mrs. Billington, Mrs. Crouch, Angelica Catalani, Maria Malibran
  BKS-09671 $200More Images/Inquire