Collecting antique sheet music?

[pbryld]

I've wondered if people do this.

I've been looking for places where one might find first or seconds editions of works from the romantic era and onwards, but it seems hard to come by, as I have not yet really found anything. You can walk into any charity shop here and find many books that date way back in the 1800s, but no sheet music, not from before 1900.
So it's a very expensive hobby I expect.

Anyways, I think it would be really neat to have original first editions, to feel an extra sense of history when performing/practising this historic music.
Though in reality, I suppose one might benefit considerably more from buying new urtexts, as they are more reliable and less expensive.

Anyways, is anyone doing this?

[pianoman53]

I doubt that anyone would sell you an original manuscript, if that's what you meant. They are usually in museums.

[pbryld]

I doubt that anyone would sell you an original manuscript, if that's what you meant. They are usually in museums.

That's not what I meant. I meant early published editions.

[thalbergmad]

So it's a very expensive hobby I expect.

Generally yes and if you find a bargain, it is a rarity. I could have bought a nice 2nd hand Ferrari with the money I have spent/wasted on antique sheet music and my silly hobby of collecting piano concertos.

There are a number of dealers worldwide who specialize in old sheet music, some of which is from the  romantic era. In England, we have Colin Coleman, Austin Sherlaw Johnson and Travis & Emery. Germany seems to be very popular with dealers.

Sometimes you will find a bargain from a place like the Sheet Music Warehouse, but it is always wise to read descriptions very carefully, as often they can be sheets removed carelessly from  larger books.

I have collected a few early PC's by Herz, Kalkbrenner, Woelfl & Dussek, but most are over the $100 mark and some a fair bit more. Works by more popular composers can be in the thousands and manuscripts in the tens of thousands.

Even greater care should be taken on e bay, where imperfect descriptions abound. You are better buying from a dealer who has a reputation.

Searching on Abe Books can locate many wallet emptying opportunities.

Thal

[pbryld]

I expected, well, knew, actually, that you do this.
The reason for looking for romantic-on is basically that my experience is, with other books, that as soon as it from the before 1800 the price tag goes up too much for me.

Thanks for the tips btw. It's not as bad as I had feared, but obviously not cheap.
A first edition of the Harmonies poétiques set i'd shell out a bit for.

PC's I would never look for - I'd never get to perform them, sadly. But to really 'collect' them like you does sound like an interesting hobby. All that unknown music one must discover.
I expect the Kalkbrenner PC has an affinity towards octaves?

[thalbergmad]

The reason for looking for romantic-on is basically that my experience is, with other books, that as soon as it from the before 1800 the price tag goes up too much for me.

It does seem to be the case that dealers get considerably greedier when the edition is 18th century, even very late 18th century.

Even reasonably obscure composers such as Dussek, Steibelt & Cramer are expensive with mainstream composers often astronomic.

Happy shopping.

Thal

[gyzzzmo]

It does seem to be the case that dealers get considerably greedier when the edition is 18th century, even very late 18th century.

Even reasonably obscure composers such as Dussek, Steibelt & Cramer are expensive with mainstream composers often astronomic.

Happy shopping.

Thal

Is this because of greedy dealers, or because there are just way more people willing to pay lots of money for these editions?

[evitaevita]

I don't actually collect antique sheet music. But, as some of my ancestors were musicians (not professional, but amateurs who really enjoyed music), I happen to have an amount of their sheet music. Many of them are really old and valuable, I feel really lucky and happy to own them now. Also, a long time ago, my grandmother, who really loved collecting antique items, bought some old sheet music from a local antique store in her neighbourhood. The sheet music was from late 19th century and rare. But unfortunately, we can't find it now as it's hidden somewhere, so I don't know almost anything about it...
Furthermore, a friend of my grandmother, who was a cellist and the principal of the conservatoire where my mother studied, had given to my grandmother some piano books of his mother! They must have been some Mozart and Schubert. Year and edition unknown... These books are probably hidden along with the ones I mentioned above!

About stores and other places where you could find antique sheet music, I'm sorry but I'm not aware of such things and I can't help you at all.

As for the reliability of these editions, I don't care about it. Their value is historic and sentimental for me!

Well, I think I'm getting of the subject, so that's all.
To sum up, as you said this is a REALLY EXPENSIVE hobbie. Really interesting though!

[pbryld]

Happy shopping.

Thal

Thanks. I looked up the names you posted. The Coleman guy has a quite nice selection I must say.

Could you point towards anyone in Germany? I can't seem to find much with Google and my very small German vocabulary.

[thalbergmad]

I have bought a lot from this chap:

https://www.katzbichler.de/

Another one is https://tarter.antiquarin.de/

Good wallet emptying  https://www.paulvankuik.nl/

Max out the card.

Thal

[pbryld]

Thanks!