Music for Organ & Piano

The Polacca, Son vergin vezzosa in Bellini’s Grand Opera, I Puritani, Arranged for the Piano Forte, and Dedicated to Madame la Princesse Belgiojoso, By F. Liszt. London: Published by Cramer, Addison & Beale [1840?]
First edition of the printed score, which exhibits a number of minor revisions in the hand of the composer; tipped in at front is the autograph manuscript of an introductory passage incorporated in later editions, signed by the composer and dated 2 July 1841. Purchased on the Leon Robbin Endowment Fund.

A series of short pieces for piano marked “Cappriccio,” “Cadenza,” and “All[egr]o con fuoco.” Autograph manuscript, 17 pages, not dated but possibly from the years around 1820.
As a youth Pollini studied with Mozart; as an adult he became probably the most influential piano teacher in northern Italy in the first half of the nineteenth century. In his day-to-day trade as a chemist he achieved some renown by providing an antisyphilitic infusion which cured Paganini in 1824. Purchased on the Leon Robbin Endowment Fund.

Concert Study No. I in F for the Pianoforte by York Bowen. Autograph manuscript, signed, 8 pages, 1910.
Marked up for publication by Ascherberg, Hopwood & Company in 1920, when it was assigned plate number 10259 and the opus number was changed from the original 23 to 32. A pianist of considerable virtuosity, Bowen was often referred to as “the English Rachmaninoff.” The New Grove reports that “Saint-Saëns thought him the finest of English composers.” Purchased on the Leon Robbin Endowment Fund.

“On a May Morning” for Pianoforte. E. J. Moeran. Autograph manuscript, signed, 6 pages, not after 1921.
The manuscript can be dated tentatively because a published version appeared in 1921, while Moeran was still studying with John Ireland. The Anglo-Irish Moeran is now perhaps best known for his lyrical vocal compositions. Purchased on the Leon Robbin Endowment Fund.

A pair of short pieces marked “Prélude” and “Cantilène.” Autograph manuscript, signed, 4 pages, not dated but quite possibly from the period 1892-1903.
Pierné studied with Massenet and Franck, and he succeeded the latter as organist at Ste. Clotilde in 1892. These two short pieces for organ were probably composed at about this time, but almost certainly before Pierné became associate conductor of the Concerts Colonne in 1903. Purchased on the Leon Robbin Endowment Fund.

Organ Processional: From Darkness into Light by Barry Gould Commissioned by George Landegger. [n.p., 1989]
Photoreproduction of the composer’s autograph manuscript, with extensive commentary in the composer’s hand. Commissioned for the dedication of the Bedient pipe organ in Dahlgren Chapel. Georgetown University Archives.