Author: BURNEY (Charles):
Title: An Account of the Musical Performances in Westminster-Abbey, And the Pantheon, May 26th, 27th, 29th; and June the 3d, and 5th, 1784. In Commemoration of Handel.
Description: London, Printed for the Benefit of the Musical Fund; and Sold by T. Payne and Son..., 1785. FIRST EDITION. 4to, pp. [viii], xvi, 8, *1 - *8, 9 - 20, *19 - *24, 21 - 56, [1] - 41 [42 blank], [2], [43] - 139 [140 adverts, 141 Errata and Directions to the Binder, 142 blank], engraved frontispiece and eight full-page engraved plates, later 19th century half calf, marbled boards (soiled), gilt spine; ms. annotations in pencil on page 90, 3 leaves sprung, frontispiece a little foxed, corners worn, joints rubbed and very slightly cracked, but a fair to middling copy with the binder's ticket of R Wilkinson, 1 Prujean Sqaure, Old Bailey on top margin of front paste-down end-paper, as well as rubber stamp of Wallace Masland and faded bookplate of [?Mr.] Sharpe; two of the instrumental performers are surnamed Sharp, so this is perhaps a copy from one of them. Burney's enthusiasm for these musical performances led to an invitation to prepare this account, though he was rather surprised not to be paid for it. Two thousand copies of the work were printed, and it was widely praised in the journals. Samuel Johnson wrote the dedication. The Monthly Review in 1785 commented, "The sounds of these most extraordinary musical performances will, no doubt, ever live in the memory of the audiences then present; but they probably would have proved almost as evanascent as if they had died on the ear, had they now been renewed, and kept alive, by so learned and lively a chronicle." Fleeman 85.2BH/1a. Rothschild 544. Tinker 1377. Hazen 30 - 33. A short account of the life of Handel and a narrative of the preparations for this celebration can be found in The European Magazine: and London Review for March, 1784. For the binder, R. H. Wilkinson, see Charles Ramsden: London Binders, 1780 - 1840 (1956), page 150.

Keywords: music biography prose


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