Between the Covers

Softcover. Early American edition, possibly first. Folio. Single bifolium making four pages. Foxing throughout, notched and worn along the fold from once being bound within an album, light dampstaining along the top corners of the front cover affecting throughout, and a small tear on the foredge affecting both pages, still a very good copy. For voice and piano. This piece is from a collaboration between Lord Byron and composer Isaac Nathan (who initially studied to be a rabbi), originally published as a collection of songs in 1815 under the title, "Hebrew Melodies." Nathan claimed that the tunes were derived from ancient Jewish temple music, though apparently this is largely untrue, with most being derived from European folk songs that over time came to be used in synagogue services. The "I. Braham" credited above the music is actually a popular Jewish singer from the time, John Braham, whom Nathan allegedly convinced to lend his name to the project in exchange for half the profits. Once published, the work caused a bit of a backlash for Byron due to the pronounced prejudice against the Jewish people in England, with some reviewers criticizing Byron for working on the project (Byron not being Jewish himself). *OCLC* locates only two holdings of this piece.

Item #602018