Gretry

1797 · 39791 — Paris: L'Imprimerie de la République Pluviôse An V. 1797. Three volumes. Octavo. Half dark tan morocco with marbled boards. <br /> <br /> Vol. 1: 1f. recto half-title verso publisher's note 1f. recto title verso blank 1f. recto publisher's note verso blank iii-vi preface vii-viii contents 441 i blank pp. With occasional musical examples.<br /> <br /> Vol. 2: 1f. recto half-title verso publisher's note 1f. recto title verso blank 1f. recto publisher's note verso blank i "Pétition" i "Rapport" v-xviii "Introduction" xix-xxii contents 419 i blank pp. <br /> <br /> Vol. 3: 1f. recto half-title verso publisher's note 1f. recto title verso blank i-iv contents 516 pp. With a list of 50 of Grétry's "Ouvrages Dramatiques Mis en Musique" to pp. 465-473 followed by a "Table Alphabétique des Matières contenues dans les trois volumes" to pp. 474-516 with Errata to foot of final page. <br /> <br /> With occasional musical examples.<br /> <br /> Bindings considerably worn rubbed and bumped with minor loss to heads and tails of spine; endpapers slightly stained. Uniform light browning a bit heavier to some leaves; occasional staining. Quite a nice crisp copy internally overall. First complete edition. Gregory-Bartlett p. 113. Hirsch I 230. RISM Écrits p. 379. The first volume was published in 1789 and reissued when the two additional volumes were first published in 1797. <br /> <br /> Grétry "made decisive contributions to the scope and style of the 18th-century opéra comique and to technical aspects such as musical 'local colour' and the design of overtures. His opéras comiques and recitative comedies for the Paris Opéra enjoyed unparalleled success in the 20 years up to the French Revolution. Many of his works were staged abroad and a number were revived in the early 19th century in Paris: several survived through the middle decades albeit with updated orchestration. . His Mémoires are essential reading for the detailed account of his operas his musical and dramatic theories and his unabashed self-projection." M. Elizabeth C. Bartlet and David Charlton in Grove Music Online. L'Imprimerie de la République, Pluviôse, An V. unknown