Author: Marsh, John (1752-1828).
Title: Select Airs & Chorusses, from the Oratorios, &C. Of Handel, Adapted As Voluntaries or Pieces for the Organ or the Piano Forte, by J. Marsh, Esq. Vol. 2d. [Bound Together with]: Select Movements from the Works of Haydn, Pleyel, Mozart and Other Modern Composers. Arranged for the Organ & Piano Forte by J. Marsh, Esq. Vol. 5. (2 Books Bound in One Volume).
Description: London: Printed & Sold by Preston, at his Wholesale Warehouses, 97 Strand, [between 1801 & 1822]. [1815]. [1815]. - Oblong octavo, 6-3/4 inches high by 9-1/2 inches wide. Hardcover, bound in marbled boards backed with a light brown calf spine with calf corners, titled and decorated in gilt on the spine. The red leather ownership label of the 19th century music instructor Lucy Penniman, lettered & decorated in gilt, mounted on the front cover. The covers are rubbed and bumped with wear to the edges and corners. The leather has split along the joints and large sections are missing from the head and tail of the spine. The pagination is as follows: The first book, identified as volume 2 of Marsh's work, is paginated [2], 3, [1], 65 & [1] pages. The second book, identified as volume 5 of Marsh's work, is paginated [4] & 61 & [1] pages. The preface (p.1-3) plus the printer's advertisement within the first work are printed in letterpress. The title page and contents, including the music, are all engraved. The title page and contents, including the music, in the second work are all engraved. The pages are toned with some soiling, minor foxing and staining. There are a few page corner creases. The inner edges of pages 25/26 & 27/28 of the second work are splitting and those leaves are nearly detached. A child's pencil scribbling slightly defaces pages 60 & 61 of the second work. Good.

First editions.

From the library of Lucy Penniman, music instructor (1828) at the Female Classical Seminary in Brookfield, Mass. with her name printed in gilt within gilt decorations on a red leather label with adorns the front cover.

Nine lines of manuscript titled "Musick" are penned, most probably by Penniman, on 4-5/8 inch high by 8 inch wide fine cream paper mounted by the corners with red wax onto the front blank. One of the corners of this manuscript page is torn. The lines are quoted from Sir Walter Scott's "Halidon Hill".

According to Kidson ["British Music Publishers, Printers and Engravers", London, 1900], Preston used this imprint from 1801 through 1822.

The English composer, diarist and writer John Marsh (1752-1828) was a lawyer by training and quite the renaissance man, with interests ranging far beyond the law and music to include astronomy, philosophy, religion and geometry. Marsh was perhaps the most prolific English composer of his time, having written at least 350 musical compositions, including 39 symphonies. While he is remembered mostly for his music, he also wrote books on astronomy, religion and geometry.

RARE. [COPAC locates only 2 copies of the first work, one of those located at the National Trust and the other at the British Library and WorldCat locates only 1 copy, that located at the British Library]. [Of the second work, COPAC again locates only 2 copies, one at the British Library and the other at Leeds while WorldCat locates only the Birtish Library copy]. Good .

Keywords: MUSIC; JOHN MARSH; GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL; FREDERICK; NINETEENTH CENTURY; 19TH CENTURY; SELECT AIRS & CHORUSES; FROM THE ORATIRIOS OF HANDEL, ADAPTED AS VOLUNTARIES OR PIECES FOR THE ORGAN, OR THE PIANO FORTE; SELECT MOVEMENTS FROM THE WORKS OF HAYDN,

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