1920s Face to Face with Great Musicians FIRST and SECOND GROUP, Charles D Isaacson, Antiquarian Books store - Collective Biography

"Face to Face with Great Musicians, is a two volume work (distinguished as Group One and Group Two) and contains short fictional meetings between the author and great composers, 30 different composers in each group. The writing style is story-like and enjoyable in a flowery sort of way. Each composer has a chapter devoted to his life and work and at the end of the chapter you find a list of the most well-known pieces and references to where one could read more about that composer (at the time of publication.) There is a pen and ink drawing of each composer at the beginning of his chapter.

These two volumes are reprints. Group One was copyrighted in 1918, and was reprinted in 1929. Group Two was copyrighted in 1921 and reprinted in 1927. Both published by D. Appleton and Company, New York. Each book is 364 pages. Group One has an Introdution by Leopold Godowsky. Group Two has a Foreward by Dr. Frank Crane and an Introduction by Frank La Forge.

Composers in Group One: Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Gretry, Brahms, Debussy, Paganini, Stradivarius, Wolf, Bach, Gluck, MacDowell, Liszt, Lully, Pergolesi, Meyerbeer, Granados, Cherubini, Sullivan, Stradella, Chaminade, Massenet, Mascagni, Haydn, Monteverde, Bellini, Noverre, Verdi, and Handel.

Composers in Group Two: Wagner, Rossini, Berlioz, Patti, Cesar Franck, John Field, Donizetti, Auber, Schubert, Balfe, Abt, Rubinstein, Cristofori, Stephen Foster, Grieg, Palestrina, Gounod, Coucy, Spohr, Percell, Scarlattis, Tschaikowsky, Garcia, Dvorak, Bizet, Moussorgsky, Lalo, Weber, Handel, Weber, M. N. I., and Mozart.

CONDITION COMMON TO BOTH VOLUMES: Good+++

Both volumes are hardback copies (no dust jackets) with green boards and gold gilt print on the front cover and spine. Bindings are tight, and there is remarkably little wear
on the corners and edges. Pasted in the front of each book is a bookplate denoting the former owner. The pages are tanned with age. Pages are clean and unmarked.


CONDITION UNIQUE TO FIRST GROUP:
The gold gilt printing on the spine is faded, but readable, and the green cover is a lighter green than the other volume. There is more spine wear on the edge of this
volume compared to the store other, but no loose thread. There is a dark tanning "strip" on both the beginning and end loose endpapers. (See photos)

CONDITION UNIQUE TO SECOND GROUP:
Inside the front cover is a gift incription signed by Ted. "Ted" is Ted Bliss, who later became a well-known radio announcer in southern California.
Also inside the front cover are tanning strips on the pasted endpaper and on the loose endpaper, as well as a transferred print of the bookplate. Please see photo. There are
similar tanning strips on the back endpapers, as well.


I am happy to provide additional photos and answer any questions you might have. When shipped, these books will be encased in acid free clear plastic archival sleeve sand packaged carefully.