RISE of the AUDIOPHILE

Haggin, B. H. (1900–1987) [Signed Copy]

Music on Records: A New Guide to the Music, the Performances, the Recordings.

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1941.
An important SIGNED first edition of the definitive early guide to recorded classical music by one of America’s most influential 20th-century critics. 

This 1941 volume represents B. H. Haggin’s substantial revision of his earlier critical framework, providing a sophisticated evaluation of composers and specific performances during a formative moment in commercial sound recording. Haggin was among the first to treat the phonograph record as a serious medium for artistic scrutiny, and this copy, signed by the author on the front free endpaper, stands as a primary document of the birth of modern record criticism.

KEY FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Features the iconic 'Borzoi' publisher’s device and period-correct typography characteristic of 1940s Knopf editions.
+++ Binding: Original publisher’s cloth; bindings remain tight and square.
+++ Content: vi, 245 pages followed by a 3-page index; includes Haggin's famously blunt evaluations of Toscanini, Beecham, and the great orchestras of the era.
+++ Signature: Signed by B. H. Haggin on the front free endpaper.
+++ Imprint: New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1941. First Edition statement present.
+++ Specs: 7.5 inches tall (Octavo); vi, 245, [3] pages.

CONDITION: Very Good / Good.
+++ The Book: The bindings are tight and square. The text block is clean with light, even age-toning. Moderate shelf handling wear to the cloth extremities.
+++ The Jacket: Original dust jacket is present with the price intact. The jacket shows edge wear throughout and older tape reinforcement to the edges. Despite these flaws, the jacket remains complete and provides a serviceable period presentation.

SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ The Rise of the Audiophile: Serves as a primary source for the study of 'listening culture' in the United States, documenting how critics taught the public to distinguish between 'performance' and 'reproduction.'
+++ Critical Pedigree: Haggin’s influence extended to the 'Nation' and the 'Hudson Review'; this book captures his prose at its most sharp and influential.
+++ Bibliographic Distinction: Explicitly distinguishes itself from the 1938 edition, offering a redesigned critical apparatus that would influence music guides for the next four decades.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE —
B. H. Haggin was the primary architect of the 'New Criticism' as applied to music. By focusing on the 'objective' evidence of the recording rather than the 'subjective' experience of the concert hall, he changed the relationship between the listener and the work. This signed 1941 edition appeared as the world was transitioning toward the long-playing record, making it a final, authoritative look at the era of the 78rpm shellac disc.

SUBJECTS: B. H. Haggin, Music Criticism, Classical Music Recordings, Record Collecting History, Alfred A. Knopf, 20th Century Music, Signed Books. Signed Copy, Music History, First Edition.

Item #21753

Price: $65.00