When you live in the world of books, you live in a world full of surprises and life-long-learning. Last week’s musing was about my surprise learning about W. E. D. Ross, reputed to be Canada’s most prolific author with over 300 novels to his credit. And a Maritimer to boot. Well, the surprises continued this week. I got a call from a lady who had a few books for sale, and I went to look at them. I bought a Gordon Pinsent novel and a book published in 1883, called Galaxy of Songs. Actually, it had a much longer title and no author listed!
Galaxy of Songs – Popular Songs with complete accompaniments for the Piano or Cabinet Organ and their Composers, Favorite Vocalists and well known Conductors. Copyright 1883 by Thos. Hunter. The book is very appealing. The text consists of 3 pages of bibliographies, 14 full portrait pages and the rest of the book is musical scores of some 115 tunes. A minor surprise was that the portraits consisted of 7 women and 7 men. Gender parity in 1883!
The book was scarce on publishing information. I figured that a good place to start was to “google” the 14 portraits. (I rely a lot on google and especially Wikipedia. So much so that I contribute to the annual Wikipedia fund raising campaign.) This research confirmed that the 14 people thus featured were indeed masters of their craft. All of the women were Opera sopranos, Four of the men were composers, and the others singers. And now for the BIG surprise, drum role please…..
Portrait #3 was Madame Albini, born Marie Louise Emma Cecile Lajeunesse in Chambly, Quebec. She is reputed to be the first Canadian singer to become an international star. Who knew? I didn’t; but folks in Quebec know all about her and celebrate her to this day. And the book has Nova Scotian connections, as well! The balance of this musing is the write-up for our posting of the book on Abebooks.
Galaxy of Songs – Popular Songs with complete accompaniments for the Piano or Cabinet Organ and their Composers, Favorite Vocalists and well known Conductors. Copyright 1883 by Thos. Hunter. (no place stated but likely American). On the last page of the book, there is the following statement “Wm. H. Keyser & Co., Music Typographers, 921 Arch St. Phila.” There is a sellers stamp on the title page “W. A. Gates, 111 Granville St., Halifax, N.S. The 100 plus songs take up the majority of the 210-page book, and a listing would be available to an interested purchaser. There is a 3-page section of Biographical Sketches of Popular Composers and Vocalists with 29 entries. The book has 14 full page portraits of 7 women and 7 men, very well done and in excellent condition. The women are all opera sopranos: Adelina Patti (Spanish), Madame Trebelli (French), Madame Albani (Canadian), Marzeila Sembrick (Polish), Marie Roze (French), Eugenie Pappenheim (Austrian), and Sofia Scalchi (Italian). Madame Albani (1847- 1930) was born Marie Louise Emma Cecile Lajeunesse in Chambly, Quebec. She is reputed to be the first Canadian singer to become an international star. In 1980, Canada Post commissioned a postage stamp honoring her on the 50 the anniversary of her death. Several streets and places have been named after her in Quebec, using her stage name of Albani. Four of the men were famous composers: Arthur S. Sullivan (English and of Gilbert and Sullivan fame – H. M. S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado), Milton Wellings (UK), Dudley Buck (American), and William Huntley (American and famed tenor and banjo player, as well). Myron W. Whitley (American opera bass singer), Italo Campanini (Italian tenor), and William Carleton (opera singer) complete the list.
The large format book, with pages measuring 290mm X 230mm, is in near-fine condition. The corners of the boards are worn. The green pebbled cloth is bright as is the gilt lettering on the cover. The page edges are done in red. The thin, blank endpapers have several small tears, impacting nothing, and there is a tiny bit of browning on the title page down in the corner. The portraits and song text are in fine condition. There is a previous owners name written in pencil on the first free endpaper - Maggie MacInnes, Sept 1920. A very Nova Scotian name! This is a very collectible copy of an extremely rare music title.