CLASSICAL MUSIC AUTOGRAPHS.

JOSEF HOFMANN photograph signed. Josef Casimir Hofmann. Polish born American pianist and composer. Photograph signed, "Compliments of Josef Hofmann, London, 1938". Approx 10 x 7.75 inches (25.5 x 19.5 cms). Slight mounting traces to top edge of verso, else in fine condition. A nice image of the virtuoso pianist looking down at his piano with an expression of rapt concentration.  Josef Hofmann was an unprecedented musical prodigy, touring Europe and America as a child until concerns about his fragile health forbade it.  He went on to become one of the very greatest concert pianists of all time until alcoholism began.....

JOSEPH HOLBROOKE Autograph letter Signed. British (English) composer, pianist and conductor. ALS. 2pp. Authors' Club, 2 Whitehall Court, SW1.  February 14th [no year].  To the music critic [Richard] Capell. "If you ... think you are getting away with your d___ nonsense in your paper on my work - you will have a rude shock one of these days.  I am not likely to let any rubbish you emit pass - and I shall store it all for another day.  For 15 years and more you have kept this attitude up, and althro' you have probably robbed me of many performances. .....

VLADIMIR HOROWITZ Photograph Signed. Russian pianist and composer. Photograph signed "Vl. Horowitz, March 1939. London".  With his name and the address of his office (which also appears to be in the hand of Vladimir Horowitz) on verso, with stamp of the agent, Harold Holt. Approx 9.5 x 7 inches (24 x 18 cms).  Slight mounting traces to edges of verso, else fine. A nice portrait, showing Horowitz in relaxed pose, three-quarter length, leaning against a piano. Vladimir Horowitz is one of the most revered of 20th century pianists...

ALFRED KASTNER autograph letter Signed TOGETHER WITH Photograph Signed. Austrian harpist and composer. ALS. 2pp.  37 Dennington Park Road, West Hampstead, NW.  7th July 1911.  To "Dear Sir" [Granville Smithurst]. "Many thanks for your kind letter and it is with the greatest pleasure that I send you my autograph on enclosed photo.  Are you an amateur on the harp?  How can you be an admirer of my playing without ever having heard me?  Let us hope that your wish as to the future popularity of our beautiful instrument - so frightfully neglected - may become true.  But I doubt that.....

JULES MASSENET autograph letter Signed. French composer and musician, best known for his operas, which included 'Manon' (1884) and 'Don Quixote' (1910).   ALS.  1p plus integral blank leaf.  Paris. 29th June, 1889.  To "Monsieur le Ministre".   Text in French to an unnamed French Minister. Massinet writes accepting with great pleasure an invitation to dinner for Saturday, 6th July.   8vo.  Approx 6.75 x 4.25 inches.  Mounting traces and slight mounting damage to verso of integral blank leaf.  All else near fine.  Following the huge success of Manon in 1884, Massinet had followed this with Werther, which had met.....

AUGUST MANNS autograph Letter Signed. Sir August Friedrich Manns. German born British conductor. ALS.  4pp.  Crystal Palace, Sydenham, SE. October 29th 1868.  To Mr. Davison (the celebrated music critic of 'The Times'. James William Davison). "The Sternbergs are bred and born in Brussells and are therefore Belgians and not Germans.  I am made uncomfortable by every "Herr" that appears in print in connection with my Saturday Concerts because I am myself one of the unfortunate Teutonians who are always looked upon as too-much by a goodly number of Englishmen.  Pray look kindly upon these two youngsters, they are both clever,.....

BENNO MOISEIWITSCH Photograph signed. Ukranian pianist. Photograph signed "Benno Moiseiwitsch. Oct. 1936". Approx 4.75 x 3.25 inches (12 x 8.5 cms).  A little faded, else in fine condition. Benno Moiseiwitsch was a noted interpreter of the works of Sergei Rachmaninoff and was referred to by Rachmaninoff as his "spiritual heir"...

LEFF POUISHNOFF Photograph signed. Ukranian pianist and composer. Post-Card Photograph Signed, "Leff Pouishnoff. 1936". Approx 5.5 x 3.5 inches (14 x 9 cms). In fine condition. Leff Pouishnoff studied at the St Petersbury Conservatory under the tutorship of Rimsky-Korsakov and was described as the most brilliant pupil of his generation.  After the Russian Revolution he made his home in London where he developed an international career as a concert pianist, specialising in the works of Chopin.  His piano technique was marked by a delicacy and sensitivity that won high praise from critics. Leff Pouishnoff took his own life in 1959...

SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Signed photograph.Russian composer and pianist. Photograph signed S. Rachmaninoff in western script and dated 1936. Approx 8 x 10 inches (20 x 25.5 cms). With the stamp of George Engles, managing director of NBC Artist's Services, New York on verso. A pleasing image of Rachmaninoff seated at a table with pencil in his hand. Slight mounting traces to verso, else in fine condition...

ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN signed photograph.  Polish born American pianist. Photograph, signed, inscribed and dated "To Mr P. D. Hinder. Arthur Rubinstein, London. 27.5.36".  With the stamp of Marcel De Valmalete, Organisation Artistique International, Paris on verso.Approx 9.5 x 7 inches (24 x 18 cms).  Some slight surface damage to lower right white border (not affecting image) and with slight marking and mounting traces to verso. All else in fine condition.A fine portrait photograph of Arthur Rubinstein seated at piano. This photograph was signed by Arthur Rubinstein in London where he had been making recordings of Chopin with Sir John Barbirolli and.....