W. A. Mozart--Johann Anton André. First edition of Mozart's thematic catalogue, the first lithographed book, 1805

MOZART, WOLFGANG AMADEUS---ANDRÉ, JOHANN ANTON

Thematisches Verzeichniss saemmtlicher Kompositionen von W. A. Mozart so wie er solches vom 9^ten Februar 1784 an, bis zum 15^ten November 1791 eigenhändig niedergeschrieben hat. Nach dem Original-Manuscripte herausgegeben...Catalogue thématique de toutes les compositions de W. A. Mozart, Offenbach am Main: J. A. André, 1805

FIRST EDITION, 3 leaves, 63, [1 (blank)], pages, large 8vo (26.5 x 17.5cms), plate number 1889, lithographed throughout, musical incipits on odd-numbered pages, ownership inscription to title ("Ernst Rudorff Lichtenstein Nachlass"), original blue wrappers, spine defective, some worming to lower outer corners, light browning to title and edges

A GOOD TALL COPY OF THE FIRST LITHOGRAPHED BOOK - an edition of Mozart's own thematic catalogue, the famous "Verzeichnüss", now in the British Library ("Verzeichnüss aller meiner Werke von Monath Febraio 1784 bis Monath [November] 1[791]"). A fine facsimile edition of the "Verzeichnüss" was prepared in 1990 by the legendary music antiquarian Albi Rosenthal (who regarded it as the 'autograph of autographs') and his close friend of many years, the distinguished musicologist Alan Tyson. The present copy of André's beautifully printed edition was formerly owned by Ernst Rudorff (1840-1916), editor of parts of the Alte Mozart-Ausgabe.

LITERATURE:

M. Twyman, Early Lithographed Books (London, 1990), pp.40-41; Hirsch, iv 1062