Monday, February 20, 2012

Salut D'Amour

I had a wonderful day out with my bff last week and after we ate lunch we stopped a
local antique mall. My lone purchase was this beautiful piano roll.  I have a few other
piano rolls that I have picked up in the past, but none that had any kind of graphics.
As soon as I opened this box I knew it would be going home with me so I happily
 paid the $2.50 for this beauty.


Doesn't it have amazing graphics?


I laid the roll on top of my window to take a photo , but it will not be staying here
because I have a feeling that it would fall off and get ruined.

Look at the amazing graphics. It really doesn't look like it was ever used, but I suppose it was.
I don't think many people back then purchased anything that they didn't use.  That being said,
someone took very good care of it and I am happy to be the new owner.

I looked Salut D'Amour up on Wikipedia and found this to be very interesting:

"Elgar finished the piece in July 1888, when he was engaged to be married to Caroline Alice Roberts,
and he called it "Liebesgruss" ('Love’s Greeting') because of Miss Roberts’ fluency in German.
When he returned home to London on 22 September from a holiday at the house of his friend
Dr. Charles Buck, in Settle, he presented it to her as an engagement present. Alice, for her part,
offered him a poem called "The Wind at Dawn" which she had written years before and which
 he soon set to music.



The dedication was in French: "à Carice". "Carice" was a combination of his wife's names
 Caroline Alice, and was the name to be given to their daughter born two years later.


It was not published (by Schott & Co.) until a year later, and the first editions were for violin
and piano, piano solo, cello and piano, and for small orchestra. Few copies were sold until
Schott changed the title to "Salut d’Amour" with Liebesgruss as a sub-title, and the composer's
 name as 'Ed. Elgar'. The French title, Elgar realised, would help the work to be sold not only
  in France but in other European countries: Schott was a German publisher, with offices
 in Mainz, London, Paris and Brussels.


The first public performance was of the orchestral version, at a Crystal Palace concert on
11 November 1889, conducted by August Manns."


Once again, the photos are not the best today with the bad lighting , but I wanted to share
it anyways.   Hope you all are having a wonderful day!


11 comments:

Unknown said...

Stunning! I love the way you have displayed it, tho, Sandi.

TY for the lovely cards.

Have a wonderful week ~
TTFN ~
Hugs,
Marydon

Bliss said...

Looks like you scored a treasure at that antique shop!

~Bliss~

Sweet Old Vintage said...

I have never seen one with the graphics... It is lovely and looks lovely in your vignette... Hope you are all well... I am good now....

Irene said...

I've never seen a piano roll, how lovely, and isn't it romantic, the gifts they gave each other. What will you do with it?

Julie Marie said...

Hi Sandi... that is so beautiful!.. and I am so happy it came home with you... xoxo Julie Marie

Unknown said...

i don't think i've EVER seen an old piano roll with graphics before. this one is amazingly lovely! I especially love that you took the time to research its' history. what a beautiful story!

Marjon said...

Very beautiful paper and your pictures are very great.....have a nice evening...greetings Marjon

Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage said...

What a lovely bargain you found! I love these! Yours has wonderful graphics. How fun that there is that history to be found for it.

Susie said...

Sandi, that is so pretty. It certainly was a deal:):) Glad you had some fun with your best friend. Smiles, Susie(She Junks)

June said...

I love it When I learn things like this Sandi. SO interesting! I think knowing more about it makes it even more special. And it is a beautiful piano roll...and for $2.50...girl can you find the good goods!!!
hugs from here...

Sandi~A Cottage Muse said...

Loved learning something new today!
I am with Michelle...I've never seen a piano roll with graphics! Great find at a great price!!