Liszt.

London: Faber & Faber,, 1934. First edition, first impression, of the first biography of Liszt written in English, handsomely bound. This was Sitwell's best-received and most successful work, which remained in print for over 50 years. Listz is "generally acknowledged as a major interpretative biography, presenting Liszt in his context as a leading figure of the Romantic movement, 'on the same footing of importance as Byron', as Sachie [i.e. Sacheverell] claimed. Although Sachie's old adversary, Ernest Newman, pounced on 'some errors on points of fact' in his Sunday Times review, The Times critic congratulated him on 'a work which will certainly hold the field'. It was a serious approach to the man and his music... Sachie had curbed his tendency to stylistic extravagance to produce a readable and brilliantly presented portrait" (Bradford, pp. 248-9). The book includes a catalogue of Liszt's works and a bibliography. Sitwell was a prolific poet, but "his strength is to be found in his studies of art and literature" (ODNB); he also published works on Mozart (1932) and Scarlatti (1935). Octavo (220 x 143 mm). Near-contemporary green morocco by Bayntun (Rivière), spine with raised bands, compartments lettered and decorated in gilt, covers bordered with twin gilt fillets, board edges and turn-ins tooled in gilt, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, others uncut. With 16 photographic plates, illustrations in the text. Gilt bright, spine faded to brown, faint foxing to outer leaves, otherwise internally bright and clean. A near-fine copy. Fifoot SA25a. Sara Bradford, Splendours and Miseries: A Life of Sacheverell Sitwell, 1993.