LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVENBiblio.com
Ludwig van BeethovenBiblio.com
RARE - 7th Symphony in A Major Opera 92 for 4-Hands Piano Siebente Grosse Sinfonie in A dur von Ludwig van Beethoven 92tes Werk for das Piano Forte auf 4 Hande eingerichtet
1816276Vienna Wien Austria: S. A. Steiner und Comp 1816. First edition first printing first state. 1/4 cloth over marbled paper covered boards. Good. VERY RARE 1ST EDITION 1ST PRINTING UNRECORDED STATE OF BEETHOVEN'S 7TH SYMPHONY IN A MAJOR OPERA 92 PIANO 4-HANDS ARRANGEMENT - PUBLISHED CONCURRENTLY WITH THE FULL SCORE.<br /> <br /> RARITY<br /> This edition has only come to recorded auction one time that I can trace Sotheby's 1962. The full score scarcely comes to auction and typically sells between $8000 - $10000 meaning it would retail for 50% higher or more. I cannot find a true first edition copy of the full score of the 7th symphony nor any first edition arrangement currently for sale. WorldCat identifies only five institutions as having a first edition copy of the 4-hand single-piano duet arrangement including the British Museum Oxford and Harvard.<br /> <br /> Condition: Good<br /> <br /> BOOK INFO<br /> <br /> Published in 1816 by S.A. Steiner in Vienna Austria. Bound in contemporary 1/4 cloth over marble paper covered boards with cloth covered corners. All edges speckled. Paper label adhered to front cover hand-titled in pen. First edition first printing meeting all points as outlined by Kinsky-Halm 1955 p. 260:<br /> <br /> 1. Oblong folio format<br /> 2. Title Page showing Steiner imprint in Vienna<br /> 3. Title page lists correct distributors in Leipzig etc.<br /> 4. Dedication from Beethoven to Elisabeth Alexiewna<br /> 5. Plate inscription states C.D.A.S. 2566 referring to Chemical Printing House<br /> 6. Arranger is A. Diabelli engraver is A. Mueller.<br /> <br /> Oblong folio 13.25" x 10.25." Collation: 4 blank p. 1 2-79 1 pages. Page 1 is blank an error by the printer as it normally contains a music advertisement per Kinsky indicating this copy is an unrecorded state in bibliographic descriptions. It is unknown if this state would precede the copies with the advertisement on page 1. <br /> <br /> CONDITION REPORT<br /> <br /> The arrangement is in Good condition. Soiled and darkened cloth. Firm binding tight pages. Rubbed extremities bumped corners. Foxing and toned pages. Quite a bit of insect nibbling to bottom margin of multiple pages not affecting the musical notes or text heaviest to first two leaves. Signs of handling like some marginal paper creases bent corners a few stains. Former owner name inscription in a modern hand on FFEP and in a contemporary hand at bottom of title page. Small staple holes along gutter margin from where the pages were removed from the original wraps and rebound.<br /> <br /> BACKGROUND<br /> <br /> Beethoven composed his Seventh Symphony between 1811-1812. The first performance of the symphony occurred on December 8 1813 in the University Hall in Vienna. Beethoven was living in Vienna at the time. The full score consists of 224 engraved pages of musical notes. Long-time Beethoven publishing collaborator S.A. Steiner and Company bought the publishing rights from Beethoven in 1815 and published the full score along with multiple arrangements simultaneously in 1816 under the supervision and approval of Beethoven. An announcement by Steiner in 1816 stated "The work is being released simultaneously in arrangements for every conceivable format." Kinsky. <br /> <br /> PIANO FOUR HANDS ARRANGEMENTS<br /> <br /> This is a piano duet where two pianists play together on a single piano simultaneously using all four hands to navigate the keyboard. It was particularly popular in the 19th century because it allowed family members and friends to collaboratively play composed works or arrangements on the home piano. This format balances technical skill with the timing of melodic interplay. I encourage one to look up on YoutTube "Beethoven: 7th symphony 1st movement for 4 hands" to get an idea of how this arrangement would look and sound.<br /> <br /> All in all this is an exceptionally rare first edition first printing of a masterful Beethoven arrangement for his 7th symphony op. 92 for piano. It is also the only example I can find of an unidentified state in which the printer did not print the musical advertisement on page 1 leaving it blank instead. <br /> <br /> . S. A. Steiner und Comp unknown
Ironwolf Rare Books · États-Unis3 630,00 $US≈ 3 071,34 €
