Baini, Giuseppe (1775-1844)
PALESTRINA: Memorie storico-critiche della vita e delle opere di Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Societa tipografica: Rome, 1828. first edition. Quarto. Two volumes bound in one: Vol. 1: 377 pp.; Vol. 2: 440 pp. + 22 pp. Index + 2 pp. list of Palestrina's works. Frontispiece portrait of Palestrina. Three-quarter red morocco with red leather boards and blue marbled end papers. Spine with raised bands, embossed gold decorative stamps and leather label. On nice wove paper with wide margins. Covers a little spotted and shelfworn, internally excellent and crisp.Giuseppe Baini (1775–1844) joined the Sistine Chapel Choir in 1795 and served as its director and archivist until his death. His Memorie of Palestrina was the first biography of a Renaissance composer. He considered Palestrina not only the master of counterpoint but the "savior of Church music".
A beautiful copy of the scarce first edition.
BKS-13327$850