Haggin, B. H. (Bernard) (1900–1987)

Conversations with Toscanini [Association Copy - Inscribed to Publisher Ben Raeburn with Unique Publisher's Correspondence]

New York: Horizon Press, 1979. Hardcover with Dust Jacket. A definitive association copy of this landmark musical biography, inscribed by the author to his publisher and founder of Horizon Press, Ben Raeburn.

This volume is uniquely enriched by a significant four-part archive documenting the editorial afterlife and reprint negotiations of Haggin's work.

KEY FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Illustrated with 10 photographic plates of Arturo Toscanini in rehearsal. 
+++ Binding: Black cloth with silver-stamped spine titles; top-stain to text block. 
+++ Content: The expanded second edition featuring an extensive addenda on Toscanini’s final recordings and rehearsals. 
+++ Associated Names: B. H. Haggin (Author); Arturo Toscanini (Subject); Ben Raeburn (Dedicatee); Thomas S. Hathaway (Correspondent). 
+++ Provenance: Originating from the estate of Ben Raeburn (Horizon Press). 
+++ Ephemera: Includes a 1988–1992 correspondence archive featuring a typed cover letter and a two-page handwritten letter from the Haggin Estate agent; a rejection letter from Simon and Schuster; and Ben Raeburn's original 5x8 manuscript notes on distribution.

CONDITION: Fine/Near Fine -- The book is tight and square, appearing unread. The Near Fine dust jacket is bright and complete, with only modest age-toning visible on the inside. Laid-in ephemera is generally very good, though the Hathaway ALS is slightly rumpled at the edges.
+++ Imprint: Second Edition, Enlarged (The First Edition was published by Horizon in 1959).
+++ Specs: 8.5 inches tall / [10], 11-177 pages.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE - 
Bernard Haggin was one of the 20th century's most formidable and uncompromising music critics, known for his direct prose and deep technical insight. His relationship with Arturo Toscanini provided a rare, intimate perspective on the conductor's process, making this work a cornerstone of classical music literature.

This specific artifact transcends the standard edition by documenting the 'business of literature' after a publisher's heyday. The inclusion of rejection letters from major houses like Simon and Schuster alongside Raeburn's own distribution notes provides a unique look at the challenges of keeping high-culture criticism in print during the late 1980s.

SUBJECTS
Arturo Toscanini, B. H. Haggin, Horizon Press, Ben Raeburn, Music Criticism, Publishing History, Thomas S. Hathaway, 20th Century Conductors, Association Copy, Music Biography, Ephemera, Publisher's Archive, Correspondence.

Item #21533

Price: $225.00