Beschreibung:

CHOPIN, FRYDERYK Collection of first and early engraved editions of the piano works, Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, late 1830s to 1850s 1) Scherzo op.20, 19 pages (c.34.5 x 24.5cm), plate no.5599, priced on title at 1 Rthlr, publisher's round stamp to title, no wrappers [cf CFEO: 20–1-B&H; Hoboken 256] 2) Deux Polonaises op.26, 17 pages (c.34 x 26cm), plate no. 5707, priced on title 20 Gr. publisher's round stamp to title, uncut, no wrappers, [CFEO: 26–1-B&H] 3) 2ème Impromptu op.36, 7 pages (c.33.5 x 26.5cm), plate no.6333, blue publisher's wrappers, priced on title and wrapper at 12 Gr. no stamps to title or wrapper, ownership inscription: "Ernst Rudorff 1890 (Nachlass von M[arie].H[offmeister].)", [CFEO: 36–1-B&H; Hoboken 337], tear to wrapper 4) Berceuse op.57, 8 pages, plate no. 7259, grey-blue wrappers, priced at 15 Ngr, publisher's blue stamp to title [Hoboken 426] 5) Deux Nocturnes op.62, plate no.7547, publisher's round stamp to title, priced at 22½ Ngr, later grey wrappers [cf CFEO: 62–1-B&H] together with other early editions (also Breitkopf & Härtel unless indicated): 6-18) La ci darem la mano Varié pour le piano seul, Vienna: T. Haslinger, plate no. 7714, engraved blue wrappers--Douze Etudes op.10 (books 1 & 2), Leipzig: Kistner--Grand Concerto op.11, [piano solo part], Fr. Kistner, plate no.1020, 1021, 1022, priced at 2 Thlr, no wrappers--Douze Etudes op.25 (book 1), plate no.5832, green printed wrapper--Scherzo op.31, plate no.5852, pink printed wrappers--Sonate pour le piano op.35, plate no.6329, yellow printed wrappers--Tarantelle op.43, Hamburg: Schuberth, plate no.449, yellow printed wrappers--Deux Nocturnes op.48, plate no.6653, blue printed wrappers--Fantaisie op.49, plate no.6654, grey wrappers--Polonaise op.53, plate no.7002, printed wrappers--Barcarolle op.60, plate no.7545, green printed wrappers--Fantaisie-Impromptu op.66, Berlin: Schlesinger, yellow printed wrappers--3 Études...pour la Méthode des Méthodes, Paris: Schlesinger, green printed wrappers, and others 22 volumes, unbound, folio, engraved music, some lithographed titles and wrappers; together with a dozen later nineteenth-century editions, some from the Breitkopf Complete Edition (edited by Rudorff and Clara Schumann), around 36 items in all. "Breitkopf & Härtel produced an especially large number of Chopin first editions which pose greater challenges of and chronological classification than those of any other firm" (Chopin Online). Ongoing research into caption titles, advertisements, title-page "logos" and stamps, Clara Schumann's interventions and other details is likely to affect identification of first issues and reissues. LITERATURE:Chopin Online: including the 'Annotated Catalogue' and 'Chopin First Editions Online'; Katalog der Sammlung Anthony van Hoboken, volume 4, edited by K. Breitner & T. Leibnitz (1986)