VIOLINISTS GROUP 4. A collection of eight autographs of 20th-century violinists comprised of:
OISTRAKH, IGOR. (1931-2021). Russian violinist and teacher; son of violinist David Oistrakh. SP. (“Igor Oistrakh”). 1p. Small 8vo. N.p., N.d. A printed publicity photograph showing Oistrakh in profile playing the violin with his name printed in the upper right corner with the logo of the Soviet state-run record label Melodia and German record label Eurodisc at the lower left. Oistrakh has signed in blue ink on the lighter portion of his cuffs and hands.
PERSINGER, LOUIS. (1887-1966). American violinist, pianist and teacher whose pupils include Yehudi Menuhin and Isaac Stern. AMusQS. (“Louis Persinger”). 1p. 12mo. N.p., May 4, 1939. A single chord penned on a music stave beneath which Persinger has written “Part of Paganini’s secret! – with best wishes…” Persinger may be referring to Paganini’s technique using a “fingered octave,” or perhaps his Chromatic Scale.” Persinger studied with Ysaye and Thibaud and was the teacher of many great violinists including Menuhin, Ricci and Stern. He often played the storied 1715 “Lipinski” Stradivarius, which was stolen in 2014 while in the possession of Milwaukee Symphony Concertmaster Frank Almond and later recovered; Almond later told hist story in a 2018 broadcast of “The Moth.”
PETSCHNIKOFF, ALEXANDER. (1873-1949). Popular Russian violinist who toured with his violinist wife, Lili Petschnikoff, a student of Joseph Joachim. CS. (“Alexander Petschnikoff”). ½ p. 4to. Munich, January 25, 1914. A signed album page to which is affixed a postcard photograph of the violinist. Petschnikoff gave the American premier of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto on December 8, 1899. A tantalizing bit of gossip surrounding Petschnikoff’s petulant behavior, accusing him of refusing to see his peasant mother and family, can be found in a New York Times article from November 18, 1906 (“Petschnikoff’s Violin Above His Family”). He played the 1722/1727 “Laub-Petschnikoff” Stradivarius.
POULET, GASTON. (1892-1974). French violinist and conductor who led the orchestra of the Ballets Russes and who, with his own quartet, helped popularize the works of early 20th century composers. SP. (“Gaston Poulet”). 1p. Postcard format. B[uenos] [A]ires, 1918. A black-and-white photograph by Bixio inscribed across the lower portion of the image to Fernando Cordero. Slightly trimmed and affixed to a larger brown mount; some silvering along the edges.
PŘÍHODA, VÁŠA. (1900-1960). Czech violinist known for his performances of Paganini and Dvorak and his own cadenzas to the concertos he performed. AMusQS. (“Váša Příhoda”). 1p. Long large 8vo. N.p., 1932. A four-measure quotation marked “Allegro,” inscribed to “Herrn Prof. Dr. R. Faltin, zur freundlichen Erinnerung,” possibly Richard Faltin (1867-1952; surgeon, medical researcher and the son of Finnish composer Friedreich Richard Faltin). Prihoda played what is now known as the 1707 “Luz Leskowitz” Stradivarius. Trimmed with some remnants from a previous label at the lower left corner.
RENARDY, OSSY. (1920-1953). Austrian-born American violinist who made the first complete recording of Paganini’s 24 Caprices but whose career was cut short by a fatal car crash at the age of 33. SP. (“Ossy Renardy”). 1p. 4to. New York, March 1943. A dramatic black-and-white photograph of Renardy playing the violin, which he has inscribed to “Mr. Ernest F. Manfried with my best wishes…” Contrast is poor, but examples of Renardy are very rare.
VON REUTER, FLORIZEL. (1890-1985). American-born child prodigy violinist, composer, and medium whose conversations with deceased composers and musicians were recorded in The Psychic Experiences of a Musician (in Search of Truth), to which Arthur Conan Doyle penned the forward, and The Consoling Angel. SP. (“Florizel”). 1p. Oblong postcard format. N.p., N.d. A photograph of the young von Reuter playing the violin with his inscription the third person, “Florizel wishes to thank Lillian R. Dean, for the pretty little water color souvenir sent him.” Matted with a small card on which he has penned an AMusQS. (“Florizel von Reuter”). 1p. Oblong 12mo. Schloss Segenhaus Neuwied am Rhein, August 17, 1904. An eight-measure quotation from his 1904 Symphonie Royale marked “Allegro mod. et sostenuto.”
RICCI, RUGGIERO. (1918-2012). American violinist known for his recordings of Paganini. Signed program. (“Ruggiero Ricci”). 1p. 4to. San Antonio, December 1. A publicity sheet issued by his manager, Herbert Barrett Management that announces Ricci’s program with the San Antonia Symphony. Signed Vertically next to an image of Ricci playing the violin. In his career, he gave over 6000 concerts and made more than 500 recordings. His instrument was a Guarneri Del Gesu that was once owned by Bronislaw Huberman.
