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Britten, Benjamin; Mitchell, Donald (ed.); Reed, Philip (ed.); Cooke, Mervyn (ed.); Evans, John (ed.).
Letters from a Life: The Selected Letters and Diaries of Benjamin Britten 1913-1976 [Complete 6 volume set] [plus] Journeying Boy: The Diaries of the Young Benjamin Britten 1928-1938.
Publisher: Faber and Faber (vols. 1-3 + Journeying Boy); the Boydell Press in association with the Britten-Pears Foundation (vol. 4); the Britten-Pears Foundaiton (vols. 5-6). London;
Date of Publication: 1991
Stock Code: 14977
All first editions, first printings. Octavos, pp., xxvii, [2], 1403, [3] (vols. 1-2 paginated continuously); xxvi, 758; xxvi, 633, [1]; xlix, 764; xxx, 806; xxii, [1], 576. Numerous archival photographs, facsimiles of letters and scores within text. All original publisher’s black, grey, and red cloth, titled in gilt to spines, all in original publisher’s unclipped dust-jackets; pictorial end-papers to each volume. Volumes 1 and 2 in the original slate-grey slipcase. Spine-panel of volumes 1 and 2 sunned to yellow, jackets otherwise bright and fresh. Volume 5 bound upside down, bindings otherwise tight and strong. Contents clean and free of annotations or inscriptions. A very good to near-fine set in like jackets. A comprehensive portrait of the composer’s life, from his earliest correspondence at the age of 10, to his final letters. A landmark work of scholarship, this six volume set includes detailed editorial commentary with exhaustive archival documentation. Britten was hailed as the most significant British composer of the twentieth century. His influence was profound, and his operatic, vocal, and orchestral works continue to be performed around the world. The full first edition set of the definitive scholarly edition which captures both the composer’s life, and his world. Heavyweight, so an additional postage contribution may be requested for shipping to overseas addresses. £185.00