Crystal Palace Saturday Concerts: 23 Programme Books Bound Together by Crystal Palace - 1897

London: Crystal Palace, 1897. 23 bound programme books running to 860 pages detailing the 1897-1898 season of Saturday concerts given at the Crystal Palace under the batons of August Manns and Frederick Cowen. Blue library buckram with twentieth century endpapers and reference library bookplate on the front and final pastedown; speckled edges. All of the programmes have been bound with their alternating yellow and blue printed wrapper and advertisements, beginning on October 9th, 1897 and concluding on November 12, 1898. All of these programmes are in very good to fine condition and most unusual thus. Many of the leading performers of the age are found in these pages including 'Clara Butt (Her first appearance at these Concerts.)' on October 16th, 1897; the violinist Joseph Joachim played Bach's violin partitas on March 12th 1898,and occasionally there would be a single composer concert as: 'In memory of Ludwig Van Beethoven', March 26th 1898' with 'Miss Marie Berg' playing the Violin Concerto. The Crystal Palace Saturday concerts held an important place in London concert life during this period and in addition to detailing performers and programme, each booklet also boasts elaborate historical and analytical notes with musical examples. The programmes also provide a list of the orchestral ensemble. 1897