La Fausse Magie ... Opéra Complet Dialogué Partition de Piano et Chant, Paroles Françaises, Edition deluxe
Paris: Mme. Ve. Launer [PN Vve. L. 3397], [1843].
Large octavo. Quarter dark blue morocco, dark blue pebbled cloth boards with crown and "M' gilt to upper, spine in gilt-ruled compartments, titling gilt, marbled endpapers. 1f. (recto title within decorative border incorporating the names of 8 composers, verso publisher's catalogue), 1f. (extract from Grétry's Mémoires), 1f. (recto cast and incipits, verso blank), 146 pp. Engraved.
With attractive engraved armorial bookplate of the Duke of Massa (possibly Alfred, 1837-1913) to front pastedown.
First two leaves quite browned and foxed; uniform light browning throughout; small oval publishers/ stamps to foot of title.
Sonneck pp. 480-481 (another edition).
"Grétry was the first French comic-opera composer to adopt the chain-finale technique for Paris. Because it was against his principles to subordinate a drama to the demands of a stereotyped plan, the form of a Grétry finale is not predictable ... From 1768 to 1775 Grétry’s chief collaborator was Marmontel. As a solid Encyclopedist, Marmontel chose themes that were never far from preaching enlightenment, improvement, the need for religious toleration and moral breadth of understanding: hypocrisy existed to be exposed. Of his works for Grétry, only La fausse magie is chiefly comic." David Charlton and M. Elizabeth C. Bartlet in Grove Music Online.
Item #36765
Price: $60.00 other currencies