Passport To Paris : An Autobiography by Vernon Duke - 1955

Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1955. April in Paris" DUKE, Vernon. Passport to Paris. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, [1955]. First edition. Octavo (8 3/8 x 5 5/8 inches; 213 x 143 mm.). [x], [1]-502 pp. Eight pages of photographs between pp. 146 & 147. Publisher's green cloth over boards, front cover with publisher's blind stamp, spine ruled and lettered in silver. A very good copy in the original price-clipped pictorial dust jacket, small crease on front panel, small closed tear on rear panel repaired with tape. "Vernon Duke calls himself a musical Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and here are his memoirs. Passport to Paris is the story of a symphonic- vs. -stagestruck composer - born Vladimir Dukelsky in a small railroad station in Russia - who wrote a Diaghilev ballet, symphonic music praised by the critics, as well as numerous Broadway hits, including the score to Cabin in the Sky, and the ever-popular tune "April in Paris." Paris is the pivot on which these confessions turn - the full-blown… Read More

Very good First Edition / First Printing hardcover copy of Autobiography of American Songwriter and Classical Composer Vernon Duke (1903-1969). A Russian emigré whose songwriting talents were encouraged by George Gershwin, he was also a gifted composer of Concertos, Syphonies and Ballets. In 1924 he moved to Paris, where, as Vladimir Dukelsky, he wrote music for Serge Diaghilev's renowned Ballet Russes. His First Symphony (1928) was premiered by Koussevitsky. He was a close friend of Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev as well as Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, George Balanchine, and Coco Chanel. He frequently visited London, where, as Vernon Duke, he contributed songs to British musical comedies. No dust jacket. No wear to cover or binding. Interior clean and bright.

Boston: Little Brown, 1955. hardcover. fine/very good(+). Some illustrations. 502 pages. 8vo, silver-lettered green cloth, pictorial d.w. designed by George Kelley (price-clipped and with minor edgewear and a few short tears; spine lightly faded). Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1955. First edition. A fine copy in a very good(+) dust wrapper.<br/> <br/>

Boston: Little Brown, 1955. First Edition / First Printing. Hardcover. Faint coffee cup ring on front cover, otherwise a sharp very good copy in dust jacket with some nicks and short closed tears.. First Edition / First Printing. Hardcover. Autobiography of Vernon Duke (1903-69), the American composer best known for his songs "Taking a Chance on Love", "I Can't Get Started", and "April in Paris". SIGNED & INSCRIBED by Duke in 1963 on the front free-endpaper. 8vo, green cloth. PLEASE NOTE that all our First Editions are also First Printings, unless we specifically note otherwise. All our dust jackets are protected in clear mylar covers.