Pierre Danican PHILIDOR

Pirate edition from the same year as the first edition of this bible of chess strategy, published by Philidor at the age of twenty-two.

Full olive morocco binding, dentelle boards framed by a gilt roulette motif, central gilt decoration in mandorla shape composed of a quatrefoil formed by basket-handle motifs richly decorated in gilt inside the lobes, gilt edges, top spine-end slightly rubbed, corners bumped, some rare spots of foxing, binding attributable to René-François Fétil, pupil of the great Padeloup, based on numerous tools found on bindings bearing Fétil's ticket and listed in Giles Barber, The James A. de Rothschild Bequest at Waddesdon Manor. Printed Books and Bookbindings, 2013 (DCT 38 "Long, cornet-shaped ornament with a floral top", FR 16 "pair of fronds with a large double-sided base leaf and two smaller leaves above; plain curl end").

The greatest chess treatise, in an elegant dentelle binding, from the library of the famous chess player Lothar Schmid, chess grandmaster and arbiter of the century, holder of the largest and most prestigious private chess book collection in the world (according to Allan Savage, Caissa's Legacy: The Great Chess Libraries).

Premier oeuvre contenant III. suittes a II. flûtes traversieres seules. Avec III. autres suittes dessus et basse, pour les hautbois, flûtes, violons, c.
Rare first edition. The personal copy of Charles-Louis-Auguste Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, to whom the epistle is dedicated: "A Monseigneur l'Abbé de Breteuil, Grand Maître de la chapelle [de musique] du roi [To Monsignor the Abbé de Breteuil, Master of the Royal Chapel of Music]". With a manuscript inscription to title and bottom of first page of musical notation. 
With the arms of Charles-Louis-Auguste Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, Marquis and Bishop of Rennes, a golden sparrowhawk on the wing against a blue background. In 1717, Charles de Breteuil was not yet a Bishop and his arms do not yet have those attributes.
Contemporary red morocco. Spine in compartments with five sparrowhawk tools, an element of the Breteuil arms. Covers with large arms of Charles-Louis-Auguste Le Tonnelier de Breteuil. Triple fillet frame with angular fleurons. Roulette to edges of covers with frieze inside. Gilt edges. Some areas slightly darker on covers, little black dots.
A fine copy in contemporary armorial morocco and a prestigious provenance for this work.
A French composer and musician, son of Philidor the Elder - André Danican Philidor – Pierre Philidor (1681-1731), was quickly made Ordinaire de la musique du roi, a post that was most desirable for musicians at the time. From 1697, he was the oboe and violin player in the household of the King. He composed nothing but suites for various instruments, especially the flute. In France, it was from Lully onwards that the flute made it into orchestras, being given important solo parts. It remained a favorite instrument of early 18th-century composers, including the work – a few years later – of Vivaldi (1728), Telemann and Bach.
French Baroque chamber music at the end of the 17th century and beginning of the 18th century is very rare and important, since it hadn’t yet succumbed to Italian influence. The suites are characterized by a French overture and then most often by French dances (Rigaudon, Gavotte, Paysanne) but one also finds German and Sicilian ones.
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