Puccini.

GREENFELD, Howard. [Puccini].

$75.00

Item Number: 115708

New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1980.

First edition of Greenfeld’s authoritative biography of the great composer. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To James Canner, With gratitude, admiration, and friendship. Howard Greenfeld Jan 23, 1981.” In fine condition.

The author states in his Introduction to the present volume: "While I have been working on this book, many people have confessed to me, with some embarrassment, a "weakness" for Puccini. I am convinced that the cause of his great success and the durability of his operas lies not in any weakness on the part of the listener, but rather in the composer's extraordinary melodic gifts, his understanding of the art of singing, and his sure sense of the theatre. I myself approached the subject of this biography with enthusiasm and not embarrassment, and in the course of writing it my enthusiasm has grown to a profound respect for Puccini, the man as well as the artist."