FIRST EDITION (1943), INSCRIBED TO BERNARD HERRMANN BY SIR THOMAS BEECHAM with a HANDWRITTEN LETTER IN PENCIL ADDRESSED TO BERNARD HERRMANN FROM HIS WIFE (Boo Boo), presumably his second wife Kathy Lucille (Lucy) Anderson (see below). 8vo, 235 x 155 mm, 9¼ x 6 inches, pages: viii, 330 including index, bound in original publisher's blue cloth, gilt lettering to spine. Spine slightly darkened, gilt dull, head and tail of spine just very slightly worn with a couple of minute nicks to cloth, small water spot on upper cover, lower cover slightly marked, corners just very slightly worn, otherwise a clean tight copy. From the library of Bernard Herrmann inscribed to him in ink on the half-title by the celebrated conductor Sir Thomas Beecham: "To my friend Bernard Herrman with his kindest wishes, Thomas Beecham May 7/43". Bernard Herrmann (1911 1975) was an American composer famous for his work in motion pictures. An Academy Award-winner (for The Devil and Daniel Webster, 1941), he is particularly known for his collaborations with director Alfred Hitchcock, most famously Psycho, North by Northwest, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Vertigo. He also composed notable scores for many other movies, including Citizen Kane, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Cape Fear, and Taxi Driver. He worked extensively in radio drama (most notably for Orson Welles), composed the scores for several fantasy films by Ray Harryhausen, and many TV programs including Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone and Have Gun Will Travel. He became Chief Conductor to the CBS Symphony Orchestra in 1943 and was responsible for introducing more new works to U.S. audiences than any other conductor. During the 1940s, Herrmann's own concert music was taken up and played by such celebrated maestri as Leopold Stokowski, Sir John Barbirolli, Sir Thomas Beecham and Eugene Ormandy. November 7, 1949. LETTER: The letter dated 1949, is closely written in pencil on 2 sides of plain notepaper 180 x 115 mm, 7 x 4½ inches. The writer who signs Boo Boo and addresses her husband as Precious, describes her very pleasant stay with some hospitable friends (Joan) in a large cold house in Braintree Essex. The food is very good and they take her about for walks, to the cinema and to Cambridge. A trip to London is planned. Her husband is conducting in Manchester. With handwritten envelope, not posted. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE. FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.
