RODGERS, Richard, & Oscar Hammerstein II.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Carousel. First edition, first printing, presentation copy, inscribed by the composer to Joseph Littau on the title page, "For Joe, with grateful friendship from Richard Rodgers". There is also a gift label laid-down to the front fixed endpaper, dated 1945. The binding is lettered "For Joe from Dick" on the front cover. A five-bar introduction to Billy's "Soliloquy" is added by hand.The five bars at the beginning of "Soliloquy" were not included in the first vocal score, the 1948 band parts (copied by Lenny Heinze), or the late 1960s parts (copied by Al Pagano). They were restored in the 1987 Scott Tilley and Bruce Pomahac edition, which attempted "to reflect in as complete and correct a form as possible the music and lyrics and orchestrations of Carousel as they were performed in the 1945 original Broadway production". "These bars are written in both the original conductor's book and the existing original pit parts" (Tilley & Pomahac, p. 599). John Raitt, the creator of the role of Billy Bigelow, noted that "these bars had... been added during the Boston try-out and remained a part of the show as long as he was in it. He claimed the reason for adding music was that he needed time to come down stage... and that this introduction was created to make a more effective transition into the song that followed" (Tilley & Pomahac, p. 599).Joseph Littau (1891-1977) commenced his career as a concert pianist but soon switched to conducting. Positions included musical director of the Ria

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