Present State Music Germany by Burney Charles, First Edition (4 results)

2 volumes, 8vo, pp viii, 380: [4], 352, musical examples in text, bound in contemporary polished calf, spines gilt ruled with raised bands and red labels, minor indents to fore-edges of boards where string tied by an auctioneer, but an excellent clean sound set, SECOND EDITION, little changed from the first edition of two years earlier, although the errata of the first is now corrected. Burney's second European tour in search of materials for his great history of music, but unlike his single volume French and Italian tour, including a general travel diary as well as musical observations. This made it of interest to a wider audience, and especially readable today. Burney was an accute observer and in a famous passage quotes an un-named correspondent on the 16 year-old Mozart: 'he is one further instance of early fruit being more extraordinary than excellent'. This must have given both the letter's author and Burney cause for embarassement in later years!

Hardcover. Condition: See Description. First Edition. 8vo. 2 volumes. Volume I. pp. viii, 376. Volume II. pp. vi, [2], 352. (p. vi in volume 2 should probably be numbered iv). "Advertisement" and errata leaves are bound after the title page in volume 2. Library stamp on upper portion of the title page in each volume (and a number stamped lightly on verso). Bound in modern half-calf with marbled boards. Interior is generally clean; pages are mildly age toned with an occasional touch of light foxing; a couple of faint corner creases present; a small marginal tear on p. 157 of volume 2 is neatly sealed. Some spots of light staining present on outer edge of text block. Charles Burney (1726-1814) was an English musician and composer. In 1773 he was elected a member of the Royal Society. According to Andrew Deakin's Musical Bibliography "The tour of which this book is the fruit was commenced in July, 1772. Dr. Burney visited Brussels, Antwerp, Frankfort, Munich, Vienna, Prague, Dresden, Leipzig, Berlin, and many other cities, forming friendships with the Bach family, J.A. Hiller, and other masters, who furnished him with numberless details about the early and later state of music." [Deakin, Musical Bibliography, p.47; ESTC T104544].

FIRST EDITION. 2 volumes. 8vo, 213 x 124 mms., pp. viii, 376; vi, 352 [353 errata, 354 blank] contemporary calf, red leather labels; tops and bases of spines chipped, slight wear to joints but a good set. Inscribed on front paste-down end-paper, "C. Macfarlane Grieve/ with best wishes from / Vita Turnbull/ 27 Sept 1923." Burney's German Tour was published two years after the Italian Tour. The success of the first book led him to aim at a wider audience than before, and the book was widely praised in the journals, mostly, it has to be said, by friends and acquaintances. Despite the severity and abruptness of some his comments and observations on Germans and Germany, the two volumes were translated into German the same year.

hardcover. Condition: very good(+). 3 volumes. 8vo, 3/4 brown morocco, the first volume is in 3/4 olive morocco (lightly rubbed at the extremes); marbled boards, all edges gilt. London: T. Becket, 1771-1773. First Edition. A very good(+) set.