JEAN SIBELIUS and IRVING BERLIN Framed Gallery of History display (35x25), including Berlin's signature on a card attached to a musical biography; and a typed letter signed by Sibelius in 1953, politely declining to answer the question of whether Berlin is "America's greatest composer". TLS: "Jean Sibelius" in English, 1 page, 6x8½. Järvenpää, 1953 June 4. To Cyril Clemens, President, The International Mark Twain Society. In full: "Many thanks for your latest letter with your account of my life and career. It was very well written, indeed, with much ability and sympathy. Please accept my cordial thanks for it. The article about Irving Berlin I have read with much interest. His works are indeed performed here very often. If he is America's greatest composer, is of course difficult to say. America has many prominent composers by now. It is almost impossible to say such a thing about any composer. With all my kindest regards". Mid-horizontal fold, not at signature. Fine condition. In this letter to Cyril Clemens of the Mark Twain Society, JEAN SIBELIUS (1865-1957) expressed the difficulty of calling any one composer a country's "Greatest Composer". read more...

TAX DOCUMENT REVEALS THAT GEORGE GERSHWIN GOT 60% AND IRA GERSHWIN RECEIVED 40% FROM THEIR COLLABORATIONS   GEORGE GERSHWIN and IRA GERSHWIN. Carbon Typed Document Signed: "George Gershwin" and "Ira Gershwin", 1p, 8½x13. Los Angeles, California, 1936 September 30. In part: "GEORGE GERSHWIN and IRA GERSHWIN each, being first duly sworn, deposes and says: That he is one of the parties to the written agreement dated July 29, 1936, executed by and between RKO STUDIOS, INC. and GEORGE GERSHWIN and IRA GERSHWIN, under the terms and conditions of which the said George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin are employed by the said RKO Studios, Inc. and under the terms and conditions of which the compensation payable to the said George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin is paid to them jointly, without any allocation between them. That under the terms and conditions of an agreement existing between the said George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin all compensation received by them read more...

PAUL MCCARTNEY The Beatles guitarist penned his signature on this Union Jack guitar after a 2006 concert in Columbus, Ohio Guitar Signed: "Paul McCartney" on the Union Jack pick guard. Squier Tele electric guitar by Fender, cream-colored body, with a red, white and blue pick guard patterned after the British flag. Accompanied by a black fabric, zippered carrying case with strap, and a letter of authenticity from the man who obtained the signature in person in October 2006, after a concert in Columbus, Ohio. Perhaps the most successful singer/composer in rock 'n roll history, Sir Paul McCartney (b. 1942) will always be remembered as a member of the Beatles, the band which took America by storm during its 1964 tour. The Beatles were one of many popular British bands part of the "British Invasion"; other bands who got major exposure in the United States include the Dave Clark Five, the Rolling Stones, and the Who. Before they broke up in 1970, the band released some of the greatest albums of all time, including three albums certified Diamond (at least 10x Platinum) by the RIAA: read more...

JOHN COLTRANE Autograph Musical Manuscript, an early (late 1950s), 2-page arrangement of the jazz classic "Body and Soul," a part for alto sax, unsigned but handwritten by him on musical notation paper Autograph Musical Manuscript, unsigned. Titled "Body + Soul". 2 pages, 9½x12½ (conjoined) with his handwritten comments: "IIIrd Alto/Solo with 1st Alto". Written in treble clef, 2/4 time, key of B flat. John Coltrane (1926-1967) was a jazz saxophonist (tenor, but also soprano and alto) and highly innovative composer. First noted as a sideman for such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and especially Miles Davis, Coltrane released his first solo album in 1957, and the first album consisting entirely of his original compositions (Giant Steps) in 1960. That same year, he formed his first ensemble, a quartet. "Trane" explored many jazz styles during a career shortened by liver cancer. His spiritual quest helped him overcome an early addiction to heroin and greatly influenced his music. Coltrane's posthumous honors included a Grammy read more...

VERDI WRITES TO MARIA WALDMANN WHO APPEARED IN HIS FIRST PRODUCTION OF AIDA IN MILAN   GIUSEPPE VERDI. ALS: "G. Verdi", 1p, 4½x3½. Sant'Agate, 1889 November 18. To his close friend, Maria Massari Waldmann. In Italian, partially translated. In part: "Thank you, my dear Maria, and thanks to your kind Duke for the affectionate remembrance...Greetings to the Duke and a warm handshake...." On February 8, 1872, mezzo-soprano MARIA MASSARI WALDMANN starred as Amneris in the Milan premiere of Aida under Verdi's direction. At the time of this letter, Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) spent part of the year at the Villa Verdi at St. Agata diBusseto, close to his birthplace in Le Roncole, and part in Genoa in an apartment in the Palazzo Doria. Inscription on verso of Verdi's letter, in Italian: "To my dear/friend Margherita/from/Maria Massari/Zavaglia/Ferrara, 22-1-905". There is a collection of nearly 100 letters from Verdi to Waldmann in La Biblioteca del Conservatorio "G.B. Martini" in Bologna, Italy. Lightly stained. Overall, fine condition. read more...

JULES MASSENET He has signed these autograph music and lyrics, the last four measures of his religious cantata, The Virgin, and dated it himself (1880) Autograph Musical Quotation signed: "J. Massenet/Paris 17-8-80", 1p, 10¾x3½. Inscribed by Massenet in French: "To Miss Eugenie Hautier/souvenir with respect". Massenet has identified the four long measures as the last measures of "Holy Friday", Third Scene of his religious cantata The Virgin scored by Massenet for four voices, one for each long measure, identified by Massenet as "Marie Salome", "Marie Magdalena", "Jean" and "Simon", with words penned in his hand. French composer Jules Massenet (1842-1912) made his name with the comic opera Don César de Bazan (1872). read more...

THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS: JOHN PHILLIPS, MICHELLE PHILLIPS, DENNIS DOHERTY and CASS ELLIOT The Mamas and Papas sign a document to Dunhill Records, Inc., Trousdale Music Publishers, Inc. and Wingate Music Corp. Rare Typed Document Signed: "John Phillips", "Michelle Gilliam Phillips", "Cass Elliot" and "Dennis Doherty", 3p, 8½x11, separate sheets. No place, 1967 September 28. In letter form to Dunhill Records, Inc., Trousdale Music Publishers, Inc. and Wingate Music Corp. A listing of seven points to confirm the "understanding and agreement between you and the undersigned....". In part: "Trousdale agrees to cancel as of October 1, 1966 the 10% collection charge which was deducted in the computation of our writers' royalties for the last half of 1966...We acknowledge and agree that mechanical royalties are payable by Dunhill and its parent and affiliated companies to Trousdale and Wingate on 90% of gross sales and that writers' royalties are payable by Trousdale and Wingate on the same 90% basis...You and we hereby read more...

WOODY GUTHRIE Folk singer and songwriter Woody Guthrie wrote this manuscript for a proposed series of albums with Asch Record Company, only one of which, Struggle: Documentary #1, was ever released. This rare document, signed with Guthrie's rank in the U. S. Army and his service number, chronicles a confrontation with a racist soldier and gives insight into this reluctant soldier's time in the Armed Forces during World War II! Autograph manuscript signed "Pvt. Woody W. Guthrie, #42234634." 2 pages, 7x10½, 1 sheet, front and verso, two columns. Written at "Scott Field", Aug. 12, 1945. Titled: "American Document/art number one". In part: "I met a soldier out on a rifle range down in Texas that was telling a gang of men, 'There's good and bad in every church and every race. They just got to be put in their place and made to stay in it. I say give every color his part of town and make him stay in it. My home town had a fight or a killing just about every few days. read more...

JOHN LENNON and MAY PANG Framed Gallery of History display (46x30) featuring the t-shirt from Caribou Ranch studio given to Lennon when he recorded there with Elton John, accompanied by an authentication signed by Lennon's lover at the time, May Pang, and by a photo of Lennon and Pang together Comprises: (1) DS: "May Pang". 1 page, 8x5. No place, no date. In full: "From John Lennon's T-shirt collection, Caribou Ranch t-shirt. Given to John during his visit to Caribou Ranch Studio, when he and Elton John recorded 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'". Fine condition. (2) Extremely Rare Caribou Ranch T-shirt. Long-sleeve Collegiate Pacific, cream-colored, size 34-36. Slightly stained. Fine condition. From October 1973 until March 1975, JOHN LENNON (1940-1980) and MAY PANG lived, loved and worked together. During the Lennon-Yoko Ono separation and at Ono's instigation, their young, personal assistant became his constant companion. Deeply emotional and trying "to find himself", Lennon worked diligently to create the songs for his 1974 album Walls and Bridges, in which he dedicated one song to Ono and "Surprise Surprise" to his lover. read more...