NEW YORK CITY — May 20 saw 282 lots of fresh-to-the-market rare and important autograph letters and manuscripts cross the block at Lion Heart Autographs. Of the numerous “landmark offerings” as the firm termed it, a musical manuscript signed by German composed Johannes Brahms, last auctioned in 1938, surpassed its $42/45,000 estimate to top the sale at $82,350, including buyer’s premium. The four-page oblong folio contained sheet music for “Verzweiflung (Despair),” the tenth of 15 songs from Brahms’ Romanzen aus L. Tieck’s Magelone für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte, Op. 33, which was composed between 1862-69. The entire work was in the composer’s hand, and was most likely an “original” manuscript, as it differed from the first printed edition. Additional highlights from the sale will be featured in an upcoming edition.
