Published for America's first world's fair, in 1876, marking the centennial.
Simon Beattie
@simon-beattie.bsky.social
Antiquarian bookseller, literary translator, choral composer. New album here: https://www.orchidclassics.com/releases/orc100398-the-world-to-me/
It's always nice to get post. Doubly exciting when it's something you've written which has now been published. #newmusic
The world's first life-sized models of dinosaurs. historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/in...
Crystal Palace Dinosaurs Repaired and Removed from Heritage at Risk Register | Historic England
The Grade I listed Crystal Palace Dinosaurs in South London have been restored to their former glory and removed from the Heritage at Risk Register.
historicengland.org.uk
I hadn't realised it was big Chodowiecki anniversary this year. I've always rather liked his engravings. chodowiecki300.eu
chodowiecki300
chodowiecki300.eu
I was pleased to come across this book, from 1860, which includes Milton’s Chalfont St Giles and Horton (where his father, also John, a composer, lived); William Penn at Jordans; Gray at Stoke Poges; Shelley’s Marlow; Isaac d’Israeli’s Bradenham; and Cowper’s Olney.
Am thoroughly enjoying this. What a beautiful translation. (And I'm a demanding reader.)
Summer personified (‘Le brûlant fils du Soleil, le radieux Été règne à son tour…’) in 1808. The dog is Sirius, ‘qui souffle de ses naseaux ses exhalaisons malignes.’ #Dogdays
In terms of overall design (matching sprinkled endpapers and slipcase, and those striking orange boards), I think this might be the most stylish publisher's binding, for its date (1804), I have ever seen.
Spotted at the weekend in the church where I was singing in a concert. It’s a famous icon, and the subject of Rowan Williams’ poem ‘Rublev’, words I set as ‘One day, God walked in’ and which, by chance, just last week was published by Boosey & Hawkes. soundcloud.com/simon-42-1/o...
Tonight's concert venue: the appropriately named Christ Church, Waterside in Chesham.
I once read the following phrase somewhere online: ‘No one asked you to write anything, and nobody will realise if you stop.’ It wasn’t directed at me personally, but it has stuck with me. Because it’s true: who, if you create something, will read or listen to or look at that piece of work?
A printing press within an ouroboros. By Cruikshank, 1820.
Chocolate wrappers produced by the Petrograd firm Georges Borman during the First World War. As chance would have it, I happen to be reading 'Doctor Zhivago' at the moment.
An eyewitness account of the first Bastille Day celebrations in 1790. A very happy 14 juillet to all my French followers!
Out next week! ‘Thoughtful and always guided by the text, with minimal divisi though some harmonic challenge, the settings are appropriate for intermediate to advanced choirs and would make engaging and thought-provoking anthems or concert pieces.’ schottmusiclondon.com/iconographie...
A collection of self-published booklets telling the story of various Parisian streets, the majority on the Left Bank, by a local resident. It feels like a zine. Would that be a good term for it?
Message this afternoon from a customer: 'I am currently listening with pleasure to your beautiful, captivating choral music ("The World to Me") on Spotify'. #WorldsCollide (PS other platforms are available: www.orchidclassics.com/releases/orc...)
ORC100398 - The World To Me - Orchid Classics
orchidclassics.com
Fiction (unusually) co-written by husband and wife (Lord and Lady Nugent). Lilies is a house in the Buckinghamshire village of Weedon. I sang in the gardens there once for a charity event.
First edition, together with the original plate for printing the title-page.
Bookplate of Waldorf and Nancy Astor at Cliveden. One of the books to feature in my new e-list out next week, on #Buckinghamshire. Do sign up on my website if you’re interested in receiving it: www.simonbeattie.co.uk (and scroll right to the bottom)
I do love illustrated wrappers like this (London, 1820).
I presume this to be a theatre ticket, given the imagery, but I’m happy to be corrected. Anyone seen one before?
Some exciting post this morning. Amazing to see my work published by ‘the world’s leading classical music publisher’ and joining the likes of Britten, Finzi, and James MacMillan (not to mention Rachmaninoff, Copland, Stravinsky, etc). More to follow in the coming months!
Memorial to the librarians of Britain who died the First World War.
