Composer Autograph Manuscripts

English composer (1835-1909), who was also musical theorist, writer and teacher. His output include 4 symphonies, concertos, chamber and vocal music, and several books on music theory. Autograph music quote, with 8 bars for an unidentified piece for piano, dated in 1879. Size is 8.25 x 5.6 inches, minor fold and mounting traces on verso, otherwise in excellent condition.

Star Italian composer (1858-1924), Italian lyric tenor (1865-1957), and Italian soprano (1863-1943) - Both Gorga and Ferrani were the creators of the Rodolfo and Mimi roles in the world premiere of this opera, in 1896. Fantastic printed music score for voice and piano for this opera in full signed on the opposite to the title page by Puccini and Evan Gorga, the first Rodolfo. Gorga wrote a long sentiment and signed this at a very old age to an Italian opera fan and collector, dating his autograph in 1952. Puccini signed and dated his autograph apparently in 1903 (the exact number is hard to read) in Torre del Lago. Cesira Ferrani signed on page 70, at the beginning of her most famous aria, "Mi Chiamanó Mimi". This is an early edition of this score, published in 1898 by Giulio Ricordi, 277 numbered pages, nice light teal-colored hardcovers with golden designs on front and verso, spine is in good condition with some professional repairs on corners, spotted rust on some of the first pages, 8.25 x 11 inches, in overall very good condition. Autographs of both Evan Gorga and Cesira Ferrani are exceedingly rare, and this is the first time ever we find them in the same piece item. This truly is a one-of-a-kind item!

French composer (1852-1914), teacher, organist, and pianist known for his playing of Mozart's work. His business card with a short text in French written by him over the top. Size is 3.75 x 2.1 inches, overall soft age-toning, otherwise in excellent condition.

British composer (1877-1953), known particularly for his art songs, which number over a hundred, often set music to text by William Shakespeare. Greeting card with a 4-bar autograph music quote from an unknown piece signed by the composer as "Roger" with a short sentiment (his complete last name is written in pencil under his signature).  The card has a printed greeting on the right with a pencil marking over the upper-right corner.   Open size is 6.7 x 4.3 inches, some wear, folds, in overall good condition.

Belgian composer (1835-1911) and basoonist. Autograph letter in French signed by him, dated in Liege, December 13, 1875, forwarding to a gentleman a second volume of his works for piano and voice. Size is 5.2 x 8.2 inches, 1 page, translation not included, central fold, printed letterhead over the top-left, in overall very good condition.

Belgian composer (1835-1911) and basoonist. Autograph letter in French signed by the composer, dated in Liege, October 7, 1892, to a colleague and friend about the final destination of some figurines and miniatures. Size is 5.2 x 8.2 inches, 2 written pages in one sheet (front and back), translation not included, overall rust tone, printed letterhead over the top-left, in very good condition.

Belgian composer (1835-1911) and basoonist. 4-bar autograph music quote from his "Villanelle Rythmique" signed by him and dated in February 1882. Size is 8.2 x 5.3 inches, printed letterhead, in very good condition.

Italian composer (1832-1911), conductor and singing teacher, best known for promoting opera and new works of British music in England during the Victorian era and for his widely used textbook on singing technique. Autograph music quote with 3 bars from one of his songs signed and dated by him in 1902.  Size is 9.1 x 6.25 inches, minor stains, central fold, in very good condition.

Italian composer (1832-1911). Autograph note signed, written in English, one page, dated in 1900.  Note size is 4 x 6 inches, attached to a larger page, total size is 7.5 x 9.25 inches, in excellent condition.

Hungarian composer (1907-1992), whose career focused mostly on vocal music, including opera. Autograph music quote on a card with 4 bars from his opera "The Tragedy of Man" (premiered in Budapest, 1970), signed by him. Size is 5 x 3 inches, in excellent condition.

Austrian composer (1922-2007). Printed music quote with some bars from his oratorio Passio Aeterna (1979) signed by him and dated 1992. Size is 8.8 x 11.8 inches, in excellent condition. ALSO INCLUDED is an autograph note in German (untranslated) signed by him on a card dated 1992. Size is 5 x 3 inches, in excellent condition.

French virtuoso pianist (1818-1862), composer, and teacher. Autograph letter in French signed by him, no year mentioned, addressing a gentleman about selling his royalties and property rights of some of his works in Italy for an amount of money.  Size is 5.2 x 8 inches, two written pages in one sheet (front and back), translation not included, some rust stains, in very good condition.

French virtuoso pianist (1818-1862), composer, and teacher. Lot of four autograph letters in French (untranslated) signed by him, only one is dated 1862. Letters are addressed to friends, to the music publisher Adolphe Catelin (1837-1866) and to the secretary of the Conservatoire Impériale Alfred de Beauchesne (1803-1876). We report two extracts as a sample: “….Notre illustrissime la Signora Térésa Miliano, vient lundi en compagnie de quelques amis passer la soirée chez moi…”; “Quoi de neuf mon cher Beauchesne, l’illustre Maître a-t-il prononcé et mon désir est-il satisfait?…”.  SOLD TOGETHER, NOT SOLD SEPARATELY.  

French composer (1807-1880) who wrote mostly chamber music. 8-bar autograph music quote from his "Chanson de Barberine" on a music sheet signed by him. Size is 8.4 x 5.3 inches, central fold, in excellent condition.

German composer (1821-1902) and conductor. Autograph letter signed by him, dated December 16, 1862, concerning music events in the city of Genthin. Size is 5.5 x 8.8 inches, 2 written pages in one sheet (front and back), folds, embossed letterhead over the top-right, in overall very good condition.

French composer. Nice 17-bar autograph music quote on an album page signed by him on Paris, 1855. Size is 8.3 x 6.5 inches, in very good condition.

American musician (1831-1908) best known as the composer of some popular Christmas carols. Short autograph note signed by him on a postcard with his photo, in 1901. Size is 5.3 x 3.3 inches, in very good condition. Very rare!

Italian composer and priest (1883-1954), who represented the new direction taken by Italian church music in the twentieth century. Autograph music quote with 3 bars from his opera "Cecilia" (1934) signed and dated by him in Rio (Brazil) - illegible date.  On verso there is a signature by the famous American contralto Marian Anderson.  Size is 8.5 x 5.5 inches, central fold, minor rust on edges, otherwise in very good condition.

Italian composer and priest (1883-1954), who represented the new direction taken by Italian church music in the twentieth century. Autograph music quote on an album page signed by the composer with 2 bars from his opera Cecilia. Size is 5.2 x 7.7 inches, in excellent condition.

Italian composer and priest (1883-1954), who represented the new direction taken by Italian church music in the twentieth century.  Nice 5-bar autograph music quote from one of his religious works signed by him in 1947 on a notebook age. Size is 6 x 8.4 inches, in excellent condition. Unidentified signatures on verso.

Czech-born French composer (1770-1836), a friend of Beethoven, known today for his wind ensemble music and for having taught Berlioz, Liszt and Franck.  Autograph letter signed, dated in Paris in 1826, in French, to French composer Alphonse de Feltre (1806-1850), then 20 years old and also one of Reicha´s students. Reicha tries to arrange an appointment. One page folded in two to a size of 4.25 x 6.75 inches, in excellent condition.

Czech-American composer (1910-1978).  Autograph music quote on an envelope with 3 bars of music from an unknown piece.  Size is 6.4 x 3.6 inches, his mailing address appears on verso, in excellent condition.

German composer (b.1936), and pianist, better known for his operas. Autograph music quote signed and inscribed by him with a short sentiment dated 1995, attached with a half-tone photo clip of him. Size is 5.9 x 4.25 inches, in excellent condition.

German composer (b.1936), and also a pianist, especially known for his literary operas. 1-bar autograph music quote from his stage work "Lear" with a small half-tone photograph of the composer signed and inscribed by him with a short sentiment, dated in 1996.  Size is 6.1 x 4.3 inches, in excellent condition.

German composer (1824-1910), conductor, and pianist in the mid-Romantic Era. Autograph letter signed by him, written in German (sold untranslated), dated in Leipzig, 1875. Size is 5.7 x 8.5 inches, 1 page, folds, in excellent condition.

German composer (1824-1910), conductor, and pianist. Autograph note in German signed by him, mentioning a piece by Brahms, mounted on a mat together with a modern print photo of the composer. Note's size is 4.3 x 2.75 inches (visible window size), photo's size is 2.5 x 3.5 inches (visible window size), total size is 6.8 x 9.75 inches, in excellent condition.

Italian composer (1879-1936), violinist, teacher, and musicologist, and one of the leading Italian composers of the early 20th century. Nice 2-bar autograph music quote from his opera La Fiamma signed by him on an album page in Montevideo, 1934. Size is 4.75 x 7.6 inches, in excellent condition.  On verso, there is a short music quote by an unknown composer.

German composer (1871-1935), dedicated to teaching and composed a variety of works, including opera, orchestral works, chamber music, piano music, singing and choral works. Rare autograph music quote from one of his works, entitled "Someridylle", signed and dated by him in 1933. Size is 6 x 4 inches, in excellent condition

German composer (1900-1985) and pianist who worked as an academic teacher, university administrator, recitalist, and accompanist. Autograph music quote on a card signed by him with a long text and 2 bars from his work "Der Tod des Empedokles" (1954). Size is 5 x 3 inches, in excellent condition.

Austrian composer of Romanian and Czech ancestry (1860-1945), whose works include 5 symphonies, music for orchestra, stage, piano, chamber, and vocals. Autograph note signed and dated in 1939, written in German thanking someone for sending a string quartet score. Note is 5.75 x 2.3 inches, matted with a modern print of a photo of the composer. Total size is 7.5 x 11 inches, in excellent condition.

Italian composer (1809-1877), particularly known for his operas and working closely with his brother Luigi.  Autograph bifold letter signed, dated on July 27th, 1866, San Petersburg, Russia, during his stance there as a professor, written in Italian (sold untranslated), with his initials on the first page.  Each page's size is 5.25 x 8.2 inches, 3 pages, folds, in excellent condition.

American musical theater composer (1847-1924). Autograph letter with the letterhead of the Arch Street Opera House signed by him, dated in Philadelphia, October 19, 1883, about musical business. Size is 5.75 x 8.6 inches, 2 written pages in one sheet, repaired crack at the top, otherwise in very good condition.

Welsh composer (1817-1885), also known as Carl Luini. Autograph letter signed about an appointment, signed by him. Size is 4 x 5.9 inches, central fold, in excellent condition.

American composer (1817-1885) of popular music and pianist.  Autograph music quote with 5 bars of music from his work "Warblings" -which is his most known piece, signed and dated by him in 1860.  Music quote is attached to a larger piece of paper for a total size of 6.1 x 4.25 inches (music quote is 4.4 x 3.4 inches), in excellent condition.

French composer (1884-1973), 2 autograph notes signed, both written in French, sold untranslated, first is 2 pages, the other on 1 page. Each note is 5 x 6.75 inches, in excellent condition. Not sold separately.

American modernist composer (1885-1961) and pianist, best known for his orchestral and modern dance music. Trifold brochure signed by him on page one. Size is 8.9 x 4 inches, in excellent condition.

French pianist (1772-1852), teacher, and composer, and was summoned by Napoleon to be part of the Egyptian expedition as a composer. Autograph letter in French (untranslated) signed by him to François-Xavier Fabre, dated 1822, about music matters. Open size is 7.5 x 9.6 inches, 1 page written, missing border, folds, creases, in good condition (see scans for details).

French pianist (1772-1852), teacher, and composer, and was summoned by Napoleon to be part of the Egyptian expedition as a composer. Set of two autograph letters in French (untranslated) signed by him and sent to the music professor Simon Mialle about personal and professional matters. Sizes are 7.7 x 5 inches both, creases, smudge, missing borders, in good condition (see scans provided). SOLD TOGETHER, NOT SOLD SEPARATELY.

Russian composer (1844-1908) and teacher, Rimsky-Korsakov was a very important member of the famous group of composers called the Five.  Leather-bound vocal score for his opera "The Snow Maiden" (1880) signed and inscribed by him to his pupil Russian composer Mikhail Chernov (1879-1938) with a 3-bar music quote. Size is 9.4 x 12.2 inches, 315 pages, in very good condition.

American composer (1928-2005) of contemporary classical music, creator of 6 symphonies and other orchestral works. Autograph letter signed by him, addressed to his friend LeRoy Richmond about musical business. Size is 7.25 x 10.4 inches, 1 page, in excellent condition.

American composer (1902-1979) who worked primarily in musical theater. Album page typed with his short biography signed by him. Size is 5 x 3 inches, storage holes, in excellent condition.

American composer (1902-1979) who worked primarily in musical theater. Album page signed and inscribed by him. Size is 5.5 x 3.25 inches, in excellent condition.

American composer (1829-1896), pianist, and singer of Welsh descent. Autograph letter signed by him dated 1865, addressed to one of his friends. Size is 4.5 x 7.2 inches, 4 pages in one sheet, folds, mounting traces over the left border, otherwise in very good condition. ALSO INCLUDED is a 4-bar music quote from one of his songs, signed by him over the upper-right corner.  Size is 10.5 x  7.8 inches, central fold, some stains, minor damage over the upper-right corner. Very rare! SOLD TOGETHER, NOT SOLD SEPARATELY.

Cuban composer (1890-1970), pianist, and director.  Signed check, dated in Havana, October 21st, 1927.  Size is 6.25 x 2.6 inches, in excellent condition.