Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Three editions, including a first edition of “Idomeneo”, 1805 or later

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

One first and two early editions

(1) Idomeneo Rè di Creta o sia Ilia e Idamante Drama Eroico in tre atti di W. A. Mozart, Bonn: N. Simrock and Paris: H. Simrock, no date [1805 or later]. FIRST EDITION, Haberkamp’s sixth issue, 365 pages, folio (325 x 250 mm), engraved title and music, plate number 444, ownership inscription to front free endpaper (“W^m Vincent Wallace”), bookseller’s label to title (“…Chappell and Co. 124, New Bond Street…”), later red half morocco retaining original covers, gilt lettering to spine, light dust-staining to title

(2) Grande Sonate à quatre Mains pour le Fortepiano [K.358 (186c)] Composée par W.A. Mozart N^ro: II, Leipzig: chez Hoffmeister et Kühnel, [1804,]. 16 pages, oblong 4to, plate numbers 335 (title) and 378 (music), engraved title and music, some paper loss to outer lower corner of pp.3/4, small tears to outer leaves, a few old repairs, edges trimmed [see 3), below]

(3) Overtura dell’Opera: La Clemenza di Tito composta da W. A. Mozart. Ridotta per il Pianoforte, Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, no date. 7 pages, oblong 4to, type-set music; 2) and 3) bound together in one volume with 8 other works for piano by Beethoven, Cramer, Steibelt, Himmel, Paer, Cherubini and Winter, nineteenth-century papered boards

The edition of Mozart’s great opera seria Idomeneo appears to have been owned by the Irish composer and pianist William Vincent Wallace (1812–1865), one of the most versatile musical personalities of his day.