The Musical Entertainer. Volume I [-II]. A Facsimile of the 1740 London Edition
New York: Broude Brothers, [1965].
2 volumes bound in one. Folio. Full ivory cloth with black title label gilt to spine.
With large, attractive vignettes to upper portion of each leaf by Bickham, some after Gravelot and Watteau. The music and text of each song appear below the illustration, with most pieces set for voice and figured bass with a separate part for flute.
Vol. I
1f. (recto half-title, verso blank), 1f. (recto title, verso publisher's note), 1f. (recto facsimile of original decorative engraved title, verso blank), 1f. (recto contents, verso blank), 100ff. facsimiles of engraved plates printed on rectos only. Named composers include Boyce, Carey, Corelli, Digard, M.C. Festing, Gladwin, Greene, Gunn, Handel, Holcombe, Howard, Hudson, Lampe, Leveridge, Monro, Antony Neale, Popely, Henry Purcell, Putti, Stanley, Vanbrugh, Vincent and C. Young. Named authors of song texts include Congreve, A. Hill, Thos. Hundeshagen, Jersey, John Mottley, "A Lady," Lockman, Philip, and Smith. Named singers include Mr. Beard, Senesino, and Isabella Young.
Vol. II
1f. (recto half-title, verso blank), 1f. (recto title, verso publisher's note), 1f. (blank), 1f. (recto facsimile of original decorative engraved title, verso blank), 1f. (recto contents, verso blank), 100ff. facsimiles of engraved plates printed on rectos only. Named composers include Arne, Bliondoracellini, Carey, Festing, Wm. Fischer, Gladwin, Gouge, Handel, Howard, King, J.F. Lampe, Leveridge, Pepusch, Philips, Popely, John C. Smith, Vincent, and Wichello. Named authors of song texts include Carey, Lockman, Abram. Langford, Leveridge, Monro, Thos. Philips, and Prier. Named singers include Mrs. Clive, Mr. Leguar, Leveridge, Capn. Morrice, and Mrs. Vincent.
Binding very slightly worn and soiled.
Monuments of Music and Music Literature in Facsimile. First Series - Music VI.
"[Bickham] was principally famous in music circles for his two illustrated folio volumes The Musical Entertainer, first issued in fortnightly parts, each containing four plates, from January 1737 to December 1739. The 200 plates are songs, headed and surrounded with pictorial embellishments illustrative of the song ..., and engraved in the style of and even copied directly from Gravelot and Watteau. This work was the first of its kind to be published in England and quickly produced imitators such as Lampe’s British Melody, engraved by Benjamin Cole.
A second edition, corrected by Lampe, was also issued in parts (1740–41), and a third, printed from the original plates, appeared in 1765, issued by John Ryall. Other musical works engraved by Bickham include Songs in the Opera of Flora (1737), An Easy Introduction to Dancing (1738) and the frontispiece for Simpson’s The Delightful Pocket Companion for the German Flute (c1745)." Frank Kidson, et al. in Grove Music Online
The Musical Entertainer is considered to be one of the finest 18th century illustrated books.
Item #41421
Price: $200.00 other currencies