Home / Browse / Autographs & Signed Books / Typed letter signed to Renee Longy Miquelle.
BERNSTEIN, Leonard.
Typed letter signed to Renee Longy Miquelle.
The Joy of Music [and] The Infinite Variety of Music.
Publisher: New York, [Simon & Schuster,] 1945 [1959, 1966]
Stock code: 50137
Price: £6,750 Currency Conversion
First editions, first printings. Each book bearing the composer's signed presentation inscription, "To Renee who taught me much about the Joy of teaching Love Lenny", "For Renee with love & every good warm wish for '67 - Lenny B". The recipient was Bernstein's former teacher at the Curtis Institute where Longy taught ear training. Bernstein studied score reading under her tutelage. The letter was written just 5 days after the opening of his first Broadway musical, On The Town. "Well the show has opened and is a phenomenal hit, in spite of it all. The reviews are fantastic raves, especially the Times and PM, and the Hollywood Reporter which called it the greatest musical ever produced! It's thrilling, and I would be a rich man, except that whatever money I get goes back to Uncle Samovitch for taxes." He concludes that he is "struggling to get back into my beard (long-hair) and study Brahms First for Pittsburgh next week" signing off with "Love and thanks again Lenny Spookietchka". A touching and resonant group and a key association in Bernstein's musical life.
Single leaf folded for mailing with the envelope. Octavos. Original cloth, with the dust jackets. Housed in a dark blue quarter morocco solander box made by The Chelsea Bindery. Letter very lightly marked, books very good in torn and creased dust jackets.
