A Trove of 20th Century Music Come to Market

Lezama Lima, José. ENEMIGO RUMOR. Havana: (Ediciones Espuela de Plata) / Ucar, García y Cía., 1941. Original decorated wrappers printed in two colors, 88 pp, with frontispiece portrait of Lezama Lima by Mariano. First edition of this collection of poems, an early book by the celebrated Cuban novelist, essayist, and poet. According to Jorge Guillén, "ENEMIGO RUMOR tiene la modestia de parecer folleto, y es un libro repleto de promesas y realizaciones, de intenciones y expresiones ya logradas. Ante tanta riqueza juvenil no es oportuna la crítica sino el aplauso y la espera de próximas obras." But this book must have had other powers, in addition to poetic achievement and promise, as it "concentró de modo firme y duradero, en torno a Lezama, un grupo generacional que ya se había vinculado a él en la aventura de ESPUELA DE PLATA...Lezama quedó de entonces proclamado como jefe indiscutible de ese grupo generacional, que mantuvo durante largos años su cohesión, a pesar de las diferencias de expresión y de temperamento que pueden señalarse entre sus componentes" (Max Henríquez Ureña). **** Inscribed by Lezama Lima, in the year of publication, to the distinguished Cuban-Spanish composer, Joaquín Nin y Castellanos (1878-1949), father of Anaïs Nin: "Al maestro Joaquín Nin / con mis respetos. / J. Lezama Lima / 1941." Errata slip laid in. Front wrapper lightly creased at corner, wrappers slightly darkened at spine and around edges, else nice and unfaded. An uncommon title in any form; contemporary presentation copies are downright rare. $1,500.00

Milhaud, Darius. LA CARNAVAL D'AIX: Fantasie pour Piano et Orchestre d'après "SALADE." Partition d'Orchestre. Heugel et Cie. Paris: (1954). Large 8vo, printed wrappers, 167 pp. First edition of this "fantasy for piano and orchestra," based on Milhaud's SALADE, his "ballet chanté en deux actes" of 1924. Contemporary presentation, inscribed by Milhaud to his good friend, the distinguished Cuban-Catalan composer Joaquín Nin-Culmell (1908-2004), brother of Anaïs Nin: "à Joaquin / l'ami californien / affectueusement / DM / 1955." In 1955, Milhaud was teaching in alternate years at Mills College (Oakland, California), as he had since 1946, and Nin-Culmell had just given up the Chairmanship of the Music Department at the University of California, Berkeley, remaining a full professor. Wrappers slightly darkened around edges, else about fine. $450.00

(Falla, Manuel de). Pujol, Emilio. ESCUELA RAZONADA DE LA GUITARRA / BASADA EN LOS PRINCIPIOS DE LA TECNICA DE TARREGA. Prólogo de Manuel de Falla. Versión francesa de J.M. de La-Hanty. Buenos Aires: Romero y Fernández, 1934-35. Folio, two volumes bound in one, contemporary red cloth stamped in gilt, original front wrappers bound in, 98, [6]; 143, [1] pp. Correct first editions of this classic, several times reprinted, and later translated into Italian (1961) and English (1983). The original Spanish and the French translation appear here in adjoining columns. Each volume is one of 2050 numbered copies. Contemporary presentation, inscribed by Pujol on the half-title of Volume I to his friend the distinguished Cuban-Catalan composer, Joaquín Nin-Culmell (1908-2004): "Para Joaquín Nin Culmell / con el cariño y la admiración / profundos y sinceros de su buen amigo / Emilio Pujol / Paris Junio 1936." Nin-Culmell was also a good friend of de Falla's, who had been one of his two principal composition teachers, and with whom he had studied in Granada in 1930, 1932, and 1934. Emilio Pujol, who was born near Lérida, Spain, in 1886 and began his studies with Francisco Tàrrega at the Conservatory of Barcelona in 1901, is considered by many to be the leading teacher and scholar of guitar in the 20th century. ESCUELA RAZONADA DE LA GUITARRA is his pedagogical masterpiece and is rare in first editions. A search, for instance, of OCLC, RLIN, and the British Library Catalogue turns up no copies of Volume II and only two copies of Volume I. Fine. $550.00

[Spanish Civil War]. Halffter, Rudolfo and Antonio Machado. HOMENAJE A ANTONIO MACHADO: para piano solo. Mexico City: Editorial Séneca (1944). First edition of this musical homage to Antonio Machado, in four sections; all text by Machado (b. 1875), who left Barcelona at the beginning of 1939 and died in exile (in a French village) a month or two later. His poetry here gives a sense of that exile (“everywhere I’ve seen caravans of sadness”) and of patient hope (“all who await, know that victory is theirs”). An ardent Republican, Halffter, too, went into exile in 1939, in Mexico, and remained there for the rest of his life. He died in 1987, a couple of weeks shy of his 87th birthday.

In Madrid, Halffter had been a member, so to speak, of the musical wing of the Generation of 1927, particularly el “Grupo de los ocho,” the “Group of Eight” [composers], who were complexly interrelated with most of the outstanding writers of the “Generación,” in whose writing and thinking music played an unusually integral part. In addition to Halffter and his brother Ernesto (perhaps de Falla’s most devoted disciple), the eight consisted of Julián Bautista, Rosa García Ascot, J. José Mantecón, Salvador Bacarisse, Gustavo Pittaluga, and Fernando Remacha. During the Civil War, Rudolfo Halffter composed the music for Joris Ivens’ celebrated film THIS SPANISH EARTH (1937), written by Dos Passos, Hemingway, Hellman, Macleish, et al, narrated by Orson Welles, Hemingway, and in the French version, Jean Renoir, and starring La Pasionaria, among others. The composer’s series of variations, PARA LA TUMBA DE LENIN: VARIACIONES ELGIACAS, was published in Barcelona, in the same year, by the Comissariat de Propaganda de la Generalitat de Catalunya. Later, in Mexico, Halffter's good friend, José Bergamín, brought out HOMENAJE A ANTONIO MACHADO. So far as I know, this is the only book of music Bergamín published there, certainly it was the only one to appear under the imprint of his Spanish exile press, Editorial Séneca. Contemporary presentation, inscribed by Halffter to his old friend, the distinguished Cuban-Spanish composer Joaquín Nin y Castellanos (1878-1949), father of Anaïs Nin: “para Joaquín / con la vieja amistad de Rodolfo / Mex. Feb. 1945.” Very lightly wrinkled near spine, still an unusually nice copy. $325.00 [SOLD]

IMAGE. (Falla, Manuel de and Miguel de Cervantes). PROGRAMME DU 25 JUIN 1923 / EL RETABLO DE MAESE PEDRO...Adaptation musicale et scénique d'un épisode du DON QUICHOTTE de Cervantes, par Manuel de Falla. Cette oeuvre a été composée en fervent hommage à la gloire de Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra et dédiée à Madame la Princesse Ed. de Polignac. Paris: (printed by Théo Brugière), 1923. Stiff-paper leaflet, 4 pp, with a woodcut by Hernando Viñes, featuring a woman with her arms around a man who is on a horse, all three being framed by a curtained stage. Program for the first performance of EL RETABLO DE MAESE PEDRO, which took place in the private theater of the Princesse de Polignac, with Wanda Landowska at the harpsichord and Mme. Henri Casadesus playing "harpe-luth." Ricardo Viñes, Emilio Pujol, Hector Dufranne, Thomas-Salignac, and Manuel García, among others, also took part. Henri Collet, the renowned student of Spanish music, contributes an "Analyse de la Pièce" to this program and Landowska herself contributes an untitled paragraph about the harpsichord. The distinguished Cuban-Spanish composer, Joaquín Nin y Castellanos (1878-1949), who was a close friend of Falla's and attended the performance, has penciled the following note in the lower margin of the cover: "1ère audition chez la Princesse de Polignac." Light marginal foxing to covers, still a remarkably nice copy of a rare item. $325.00

Falla, Manuel de. EL SOMBRERO DE TRES PICOS / LE TRICORNE / THE THREE-CORNERED HAT. Ballet de G. Martínez Sierra d'après le Roman de P.A. de Alarcón. Musique de Manuel de Falla. Partition pour Piano Seul. London and Geneva: J. & W. Chester, 1921. 4to, modern red cloth, spine stamped in gilt, original pictorial wrappers bound in, xv, 78 pp. Cover design by Ethelbert White. First edition of this masterpiece, the first performance of which had taken place in London on July 22nd, 1919, with sung text (as here) in Spanish, choreography by Léonide Massine (who played The Miller), and curtain, scenery, and costumes by Picasso. Contemporary presentation, inscribed by Falla on the title page to his good friend, the distinguished Cuban-Spanish composer, Joaquín Nin y Castellanos (1878-1949): "a mi muy querido Joaquín Nin, / admirable artista y admirable amigo. / Manuel / Paris 16 junio [1]921." Subsequently bound for Nin's son, the equally distinguished composer, Joaquín Nin-Culmell (1908-2004), with the latter's initials stamped in gilt at the foot of the spine. Tiny mark to front wrapper, spine slightly faded, else about fine. $4,500.00

Falla, Manuel de. WAGNER EN SU CINCUENTENARIO. Madrid: Cruz y Raya, 1933. Printed wrappers, 17 pp, frontispiece drawing of Falla by Pablo Picasso. First edition of this essay. Contemporary presentation, inscribed by Falla to his friend and student, the distinguished Cuban-Spanish composer Joaquín Nin-Culmell (1908-2004): "Para Joaquín, / con el muy grado recuerdo / de nuestras charlas de música. / Manuel de Falla / Granada, 1934." Falla was one of Nin-Culmell's two principal composition teachers. The latter studied with Paul Dukas in Paris and with Falla (in the summers of 1930, 1932, and 1934) in Granada. Dukas died in 1935. In the next year, Nin-Culmell would give the first public performance of Falla's "Pour le Tombeau de Paul Dukas." Wrappers very lightly soiled, still a remarkably nice copy of an exceedingly scarce book. A search of OCLC, RLIN, and the British Library Catalogue locates only one holding. $1,100.00

(Cabanas-Oteiza, Angel). Donostia, José Antonio. DE MUSICA POPULAR VASCA: CONFERENCIAS LEIDAS EN LA SALA DE LA FILARMONICA DE BILBAO. Illustrated by Angel Cabanas-Oteiza. (Bilbao: Casa de Jesús Alvarez, 1918). Folio, modern red cloth, spine stamped in gilt, original pictorial wrappers bound in, 49, 36 pp, plus 10 plates. First edition of these two lectures, followed by the music of 31 Basque folksongs, by one of the leading Basque composers of the century. With twelve vibrant illustrations, in full color, by Cabanas-Oteiza – viz. front and rear wrapper, and the ten plates. Contemporary presentation, inscribed by Padre Donostia (1886-1956) to his friend the distinguished Cuban-Spanish composer Joaquín Nin-Culmell (1908-2004): "a mi amigo Joaquín Nin-Culmell, / recuerdo de simpatía cordial / Lecaroz, 28 Julio 1929." Bound for Nin-Culmell and with his contemporary (Paris) stamp of ownership. A few short marginal tears to wrappers and first and last leaf, spine slightly faded, else a nice copy of a scarce and beautiful book. A search of OCLC, RLIN, and the British Library Catalogue locates only two holdings. $200.00

Debussy, Claude. MONSIEUR CROCHE ANTIDILETTANTE. Paris: Librairie Dorbon-Ainé / Nouvelle Revue Française, 1921. Large 8vo, modern green cloth stamped in gilt, 144 pp. Correct first edtiion of this posthumous book, limited to 550 numbered copies plus a few "exemplaires de presse." This copy bears the printed notice "EXEMPLAIRE DE PRESSE" at the colophon. Contemporary presentation, inscribed by the author's widow to her friend the distinguished Cuban-Spanish composer, Joaquín Nin y Castellanos (1878-1949): "EmmaClaude Debussy / à son cher ami / Joaquin Nin." With one interesting correction penciled in Nin's hand. Subsequently bound for Nin's son, the equally distinguished composer, Joaquín Nin-Culmell (1908-2004), with the latter's initials stamped in gilt at the foot of the spine. Fine. $250.00

Alberti, Rafael and Esplà, Oscar. CANCIONES PLAYERAS: I. RUTAS / II. PREGON / III. LAS 12 / IV. EL PESCADOR SIN DINERO / V. COPLILLA. Paris: Union Musicale Franco-Espagnole (1930). 4to, wrappers printed in red and black, [ii], 20, [2] pp. First edition of Esplá's songs and first separate edition of these five poems by Alberti, from EL ALBA DEL ALHELI (1927). Although poems in that collection were set by a number of Spanish composers over the next six decades, these settings by Esplá, with whom Alberti collaborated on several other projects, are perhaps the earliest. Contemporary presentation, inscribed by Esplá to his friend the distinguished Cuban-Spanish composer, Joaquín Nin y Castellanos (1878-1949): "A Joaquín Nin / con la amistad sincera de Oscar Esplá / Madrid 19 Junio 1932." Very short tear to rear wrapper, wrappers lightly creased at two corners and lightly foxed at edges, else a nice, unfaded copy. $275.00

(Mercé, Antonia – La Argentina). Original photograph of La Argentina, in a magnificently embroidered shawl. Paris: c. 1925. Image size 7.5 x 9.6 inches; mounted by the photographer on card stock, which is hand-lettered in the margin "MAURICE BECK / & MACGREGOR. / LONDON," and framed under glass (dimensions of frame: 12 x 14 inches). A strong, animated head-and-shoulders portrait, inscribed on the recto by its subject to her close friend and occasional collaborator, the distinguished Cuban-Spanish composer and pianist, Joaquín Nin y Castellanos (1878-1949): "A Joaquín Nin / con mi profunda admiración / Argentina / Paris - junio - 1925." In addition to being the most celebrated Spanish dancer of the early 20th century, Antonia Mercé ("La Argentina," 1888-1936) directed the largest ballet company in Paris, Les Ballets Espagnols, having inherited the position from Diaghilev. She was also a feminist, and a friend of many of the outstanding writers, composers, and painters, of her time, with a number of whom – e.g, Manuel de Falla, Federico García Lorca, Enrique Granados, Nestor de la Torre, and Joaquín Nin – she collaborated professionally. Lightly foxed, still an immensely attractive souvenir. $275.00

Mr. Weiss maintains his listings on ABE. Here is a link to his listings: http"//dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BooksBrowsPL?vendorclientid=984085