The Symphony in the Age of Hi-Fi

Haggin, B. H. (Bernard H. Haggin, 1900–1987)

A Book of the Symphony [Signed with Raeburn Association] [Complete with Technical Inserts] [1937 1st Ed]

New York / London: Oxford University Press, 1937.
A remarkable triple-threat collector’s specimen: a First Edition of B.H. Haggin’s foundational 1937 work, an elite association copy from the library of publisher Ben Raeburn, and—most significantly—a rare complete example containing the fragile technical inserts often lost to time. 

This volume represents the exact moment music criticism merged with the High Fidelity revolution, providing a physical map for the 1930s listener to navigate the symphonic form through the new technology of the phonograph.

In A Book of the Symphony, Haggin revolutionized music appreciation by synchronizing the printed score with the recorded performance. This copy is uniquely significant for its provenance, coming from the personal library of Horizon Press founder Ben Raeburn, and for the survival of the fragile "Volume Expander Amplifier" diagrams and phonograph alignment guides housed in the rear pocket. At the intersection of musicology and the history of sound engineering, this volume is an essential artifact of the pre-war "Hi-Fi" movement.

KEY FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Richly illustrated with musical score excerpts and analytical diagrams; includes the rare fold-out circuitry sheet for 1930s audio systems.
+++ Binding: Original publisher's cloth in the scarce original dust jacket.
+++ Content: xv, 331 pages; a comprehensive structural guide to the symphonic canon.
+++ Provenance/Signature: Signed by Haggin on the front endpaper; includes a laid-in card inscribed 'For Ben Raeburn.' Sourced via the estate of Ben Raeburn and Pat Percy.
+++ Technical Inserts: Rear pocket contains the original "Audio Sound System" diagram and the "Hold Here" record index guide card.
+++ Imprint: New York: Oxford University Press, 1937. First Edition stated.

CONDITION: Very Good / Good.
+++ The Book: Very Good. Bindings are tight and square. The text block is clean with light, even age-toning. The rear pocket remains structurally sound.
+++ The Jacket: Good. Original unclipped dust jacket. Shows even age-dulling and light edge wear typical for 1930s Oxford volumes. Presents well in a new archival Mylar sleeve.
+++ The Inserts: Both original instructional inserts are present and in a high state of preservation, free from the usual tears or heavy foxing; containing the rare fold-out vacuum tube circuitry diagrams and the delicate phonograph record index guide—artifacts of early audio-engineering history.

SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ History of Technology: The included diagrams for 'Volume Expander Amplifiers' provide a primary source for the evolution of vacuum tube audio during the Great Depression.
+++ The Van Doren Connection: The printed dedication to Mark Van Doren underscores the book's status as a product of the 'New York Intellectuals' era.
+++ Multimedia Musicology: Demonstrates the first systematic attempt to use the phonograph as a laboratory tool for the study of symphonic architecture.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: RAEBURN & THE HORIZON LEGACY —
Ben Raeburn was more than a publisher; he was the shepherd of the independent New York literary world. By acquiring this copy of Haggin’s early Oxford work, Raeburn was likely studying the voice of the critic he would eventually bring to his own house, Horizon Press.
The presence of Raeburn’s signature 'archival habits'—keeping the fragile inserts intact—speaks to the professional care he afforded his personal library. This volume is a cornerstone for any collection focusing on the history of American publishing or the development of high-fidelity listening culture.

SUBJECTS: B. H. Haggin, Music Criticism, Symphony Analysis, Phonograph Culture, Early Audio Technology, Vacuum Tube Diagrams, Ben Raeburn Association, Oxford University Press, 1930s Music, Mark Van Doren, Association Copy, Signed First Edition, History of Technology, Music Reference.

Item #21756

Price: $185.00