FIFTEEN POEMS AND A PLAY

Southside. Edinburgh. 1969. LIMITED EDITION. 8vo. (8.8 x 5.2 inches). One of 50 copies, from a total edition of 450 ( including 15 copies bound in leather, and another 50 copies, numbered 1-50, signed by Goodsir Smith and Orr), this is copy number 50, signed by Author and Composer. Inserted at the front is a hand written poem, starting " Furrowed and grimeyed and grey / You strange survivor of countless forced marches" but without title or author mentioned. A fine copy of the book in a near fine dustwrapper that has one small closed tear, without loss, to the front panel and a tiny area of abrasion to the rear. The first book to be published by Southside Publishers which, appropriately, brings together one of the best late 20th century Scottish Lallans writers, and an important part of the Scottish Renaissance, with the up and coming musician and Opera composer, Orr. Although Orr was born in 1909 and had a distinguished career as a musician (Organist at St. John's College, Cambridge) and teacher (Cambridge, Royal College of Music, Glasgow University) it was not until the late 1960's that he started composing seriously, his first Opera not appearing until 1968. Orr was awarded the CBE in 1972 and continued to compose up until his death in 2006.