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Rare & Collectible Music Books
Music touches everyone in one way or another throughout their lives. Here at Abebooks you can find rare and collectible books that cover the whole spectrum of the music world. From the history of songs and music instruction to biographies and John Lennon's very first collected writings, doodles and poetry, Abebooks' booksellers are pleased to offer an immense collection of books devoted to all things music.

Here is a selection of some of the most collectible & rare books about music found at Abebooks.


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Music Books


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Purchase a new collectible book about the world of music or your favorite musician.

Chronicles
Bob Dylan

Rolling With The Stones
Bill Wyman

Brother Ray
Ray Charles

Inside Out
Nick Mason

Proof
Jim Marshall

Frank B. Converse's Banjo Instructor, Without A MasterFrank B. Converse's Banjo Instructor, Without A Master
Frank B. Converse
Recommended by Gene's Books, Kansas, USA

A choice collection of banjo solos, jigs, songs, reels; walk arounds, etc., progressively arranged, and plainly explained; enabling the learner to become a proficient banjoist without the aid of a teacher." One of the earliest fretless banjo tutorials, with measure-by-measure analysis of old banjo favorites, including "Juba," Boatman's Dance," "Arkansas Traveler," "Yankee Doodle," etc., in standard notation. Illustrated paper covered boards, black cloth backstrip, 4pp advertisements incl. front pastedown, 96pp, plus 35pp advertisements incl. back pastedown, back cover is a page of more books for sale. Spine ends bumped & lightly rubbed; edges rubbed, corners rubbed round, covers are chipped top & bottom where the paper overlaps the cloth backstrip, lightly agetoned & rubbed with a bit of colorchipping & smudging, edges faded, endpapers & title page lightly faded, the second page of advertisements (typically the front free endpaper) is about 3/4 detached from the spine, else binding is firm & tight; text crisp, clean, complete. $950.00

 

Lessons and Excercises in Vocal MusicLessons and Excercises in Vocal Music
Benjamin Carr

A marvelous early American vocal instructional book which is entirely engraved. The work is primarily composed of vocal exercises with the score and lyrics entirely engraved. Additional pages of instructional text are also completely engraved. It was common for musical scores to be engraved during this period, but lyrics and text were usually printed from type. Carr composed and printed a profusion of other musical works and in producing this volume, he must have concluded that engraving the entire work was the most utilitarian method for its production. The result is a delightfully crude publication. When mistakes were made in engraving the text pages, the mistakes were struck-through or changes inserted rather than re-engraving the entire plate. Benjamin Carr emigrated from England in 1793 and settled in Philadelphia where he opened the city's first music store, known as The Musical Repository. He sold a branch of the firm in New York a few years later. $2,500.00

 

Nick Hornby SongbookNick Hornby Songbook
Nick Hornby & Marcel Dzama (Artist)

Signed. Hardcover. First Edition. First Printing. 147 pages. As New. The author's collection of essays and prose-poems on music. Destined to be a late-modern classic. The single best book published by McSweeney's. A handsomely produced book by Alysha Naples and utilizing magnificent original art by Marcel Dzama: Regular-sized volume format in square shape. Pictorial hard boards with titles on cover and spine, as issued. CD containing 11 selections attached on the inside back endcover. Without DJ, as issued. Nick Hornby is singularly qualified to write a book about popular music, having written the novel, High Fidelity, which became the basis of a very fine film, with John Cusack. Hornby has also written music criticism for The Yorker Magazine. The personal essays in Nick Hornby Songbook pop off the page with the immediacy and passion of an artfully arranged mixed tape. $495.00

 

Tidings of Peace: For the use of Sabbath Schools, Churches, Revivals and Gospel Meetings
E.T. Hildebrand (Ed.)
Recommended by Bookworm & Silverfish , Virginia, USA

Basic, VA, 1919, (128)pp. Wrps (some wear & some creasing), paper w/brown tone. Basic is now Waynesboro, Virginia. The Hildebrand-Burnett Publ. Co. had a branch in Milan, Tennessee & Asheville, North Carolina. This copy not located per OCLC, not on line for Univ. VA or Lib. of VA. Shaped Note. $75.00

My CountryMy Country: An Illuminated and Illustrated Version of the American National Anthem
Walter Tittle

History of America. This patriotic hymm, which by common consent has been adopted as the American National Anthem, and which has been a source of inspiration to millions of patriotic citizens was written by The Reverend Samuel Francis Smith, D.D. "The author was born in Boston on October 11, 1808, graduated from Harvard in the famous class of '29, and entered the Theological Seminary of Andover Massachusetts. "In February of the year 1832 while a student at that institution he received a book of German patriotic songs: one air attracted his attention because of its simplicity and strength, and picking up a scrap of paper he wrote, in less than half an hour, the words that have made him famous. "'America' was first sung in public on July 4, 1832 at the Old Park Street Church in Boston and was afterwards included in a collection of songs for school use. "The author had no idea that the loyalty and patriotism he had woven into verse in his early manhood would bring him such universal fame but he lived to hear 'My Country, 'tis of Thee' sung throughout the length and breadth of the land, and before his death on November 16th 1895 it was known in every quarter of the globe." $3,500.00

 

Three LyricsThree Lyrics by Robert Browning Set to Music by Daniel Protheroe
Robert Browning
Recommended by Gene's Books, Kansas, USA

Chicago: Gamble Hinged Music Co., 1910. First Edition. 9-3/8" x 12-3/8" Cloth Binding. Fine/No Jacket As Issued. Stiff black paper covers, printed in white on cover, 16pp uniquely bound w/hinged cloth. Bright, crisp, clean; essentially flawless. Original music compositions for three poems. Title page and facing page to each poem/song illustrated; each separately dedicated: "Ah, Love, But A Day," to Mr. H. Evan Williams; "I Send My Heart Up To Thee," to Mr. Evert Pieters; "The Years At The Spring" to Mr. Daniel Beddoe. Dr. Protheroe (1866-1934) emigrated from Wales to Scranton PA in 1885, and gained national fame as a conductor and composer of hymns and oratorios. Matted & Framed for Display, $345. $300.00

 

Folklore Songs of the United StatesFolklore-Songs Of The United States
Dorothea Dix Lawrence & Walter Rosemont

The Dorothea Dix Lawrence Folklore Society, 1959 Soft Cover. Very Good. Limited/Numbered. 9" x 12", 132 pp, Number 265 of limited edition, signed by both authors, includes Fine copy of large Folklore Music Map (folded), and inlaid newspaper clipping about Ms Lawrence, copy is in excellent condition, original plain glassine dust jacket is torn. This scarce book contains arrangements for about 50 American folk songs collected mainly by the singer, lectureer and authority on Americana, Dorothea Dix Lawrence. Each song is keyed to the Folklore Music Map. $500.00

 

Musical GrammarMusical Grammar
J.W. Turner

1867 Hard Cover. Good. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. Black cloth cover with blind stamping and gilt lettering. This rare, unique lesson book on the basic principles of music has been written entirely in rhyme, presumably for humor and mnemonic value, and was self-published by the author. Some cracks in binding, play to hinges. Pages are clean with some age toning. Some age/wear outside, concentrated at edges and high points. 44 pages. $99.99

 

In His Own Write
John Lennon

1964 Hard Cover. Fair. Signed by Author. 32mo - over 4" - 5" tall. This is a John Lennon handsigned book of his very first collected writings, doodles and poetry. This book is in a first print issue from 1964 and is in remarkable condition. It is the true worldwide and UK first edition / first printing hardback. 79+ pages with many many illustrations. Presented here in original state with endpapers and glossy picture boards as issued (no wrapper was issued). All pages intact and together. A really stunning item. Hand signed by Lennon directly onto first free end paper. A stunning book to have in any collection. $23,993.83