^Lot 774 Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Eminent Russian composer (1844–1908) best known for such brilliantly orchestrated works as Scheherazade and for operatic staples like Sadko, The Tale of Tsar Saltan, and The Golden Cockerel. Autograph musical manuscript, signed twice with his initials, with several other notations in Russian, entitled “Sinfonietta,” on three 14.5 x 10 musically-lined sheets. This is a heavily revised working manuscript in short score, the first draft in ink with extensive cancellations in blue pencil and a few emendations in lead pencil, in five systems of two staves. Rimsky-Korsakov has also written at the end, “Dedicated to G.O. Dutsch.” title page bears notations in another hand which read "Dedicated to 8 .0. Diutsh/Russian Sinfonietta/in/A major." Uniform light toning, several edge tears and areas of surface loss, and scattered soiling, otherwise very good condition. Rimsky-Korsakov's Sinfonietta on Russian Themes emerged from a string quartet based entirely on Russian folk tunes which he had composed in summer 1879. The dedicatee, the composer and conductor Georgi Ottonovich Dutsch, was a former pupil of Rimsky's at the Conservatory and he became a close friend and co-conductor with Rimsky of the Russian Symphony Concerts from 1886 onwards. A very rare piece containing approximately 500 bars of music.