J & J Lubrano Music Antiquarians

An Account Of The Musical Performances In Westminster-Abbey And The Pantheon (1784) - $750

An Account of the Musical Performances in Westminster-Abbey, and the Pantheon, May 26th, 27th, 29th; and June the 3d, and 5th, 1784. In Commemoration of Handel... Printed for the Benefit of the Musical Fund
 
London: Sold by T. Payne and Son... and G. Robinson, [January 8] 1785. Quarto. 18th century tree calf. 1f. (frontispiece), 1f. (title), [iii-viii] (dedication, contents), [i]-xvi (preface), 8, 8, 9-20, 19-24, 21-56, 21, [i] (blank) pp., 2 ff. (section title, list), pp. [25]-41, [i] (blank), 2 ff. (section title, list), [45]-70, 1f. (section title), pp. 73-90, 2 ff. (section title, list), pp. [93]-107, [i] (blank), 1f. (section title), pp. 111-139, [ii] (advertisement, errata) pp. + 7 numbered plates engraved by Delattre, Bartolozzi, Haward, Spilsbury and Collyer after Burney, Cipriani and Smirk, with the "Plan of the Orchestra and Disposition of the Band" naming J. Bates as conductor. 
 
Provenance
From the collection of Jenny Lind's husband, the pianist, composer, and conductor Otto Goldschmidt (1829-1907), with his autograph signature to verso of free front endpaper; early bookplate of "The Honble. Stuart Wortley" and later ownership markings to front pastedown. 
 
Binding slightly worn and scuffed; rebacked and recornered. Slightly browned, more heavily to some leaves; frontispiece and numbered plates with minor to moderate foxing. 
 
An attractive, wide-margined copy overall. 
 
First Edition. Gregory-Bartlett p. 47. Cortot, p. 42. Eitner II, p. 246. RISM BVI, p. 191. 
 
"[Burney] suggested and was entrusted with the preparation of a book giving an account of it [the Handel commemoration of 1784], preceded by a life of Handel. As a professional man, however, he was astonished to discover he was expected to do this without recompense... The Handel commemoration volume caused its author much concern and distracted him from his History, yet it has served posterity well." The New Grove, Vol. 3, pp. 489-491.
 
Joah Bates (1740-1799), conductor, organist and concert organizer, was "a fierce champion of Baroque music and particularly of Handel's work..." The New Grove, Vol. II, p. 284. Item #26965 
 
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