Dave Brubeck's Personal Library and Handwritten Music Manuscripts to Auction

Dave Brubeck's handwritten manuscripts, sketches, and books from his home library including his personal Bible are going under the hammer in Julian’s Auctions' online-only Dave Brubeck Collection sale running through September 17.

The auction features handwritten scores and arrangements for Christmas songs such as Away in a Manger and Deck the Halls as well as handwritten excerpts from Brubeck's larger work La Fiesta de la Posada including one titled Possible Xmas Carol that was not included in the final score) and copies of Joy to the World annotated by Brubeck in red pencil.

Also featured are handwritten letters from French composter Darius Milhaud who taught Brubeck music composition at Mills College after World War II and became such a formative influence that Brubeck named his eldest son Darius in his honor.

Other highlights include:

• a Baldwin SD-10B grand piano from Dave Brubeck's home studio in Wilton, Connecticut, including vintage classical music scores from Brubeck's personal collection featuring works by Bartok, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Mozart, Ravel, and Wagner, as well as two scores of music by Milhaud signed by Brubeck
• an original 1982 handwritten musical manuscript for Brubeck's song Michael, My Second Son
• numerous books from his personal library including his Bible with cover embossed with his name, various titles on jazz history with a Dave Brubeck Quartet address stamp, a copy of To Kill A Mockingbird, signed and inscribed by Harper Lee (“To Dave and Iola – with admiration and love, Harper Lee"), and his Young Folks' Edition of Black Beauty from his childhood
• memorabilia signed by jazz legends including a Louis Armstrong signed and inscribed Summer Song manuscript (“To Mrs. Brubeck / am very happy / Satchmo / Louis Armstrong"), and the last card sent by Duke Ellington to Brubeck
• a group of handwritten sketches of Brubeck's sacred choral music including partial scores for Credo, Canticles, When the Lord is Pleased (with original 1991 lyric sheet), Love Flows (an unpublished chorale), and a list labelled “Not Published"
• a group of early quintet and octet scores, handwritten by Brubeck during his time at Mills College circa 1946-1948 including a quintet score, inscribed by Brubeck ("This score was done for a composers forum at Mills that Pete tried to organize just after the guys went to France. The first get together was the last. Dari cried every time the violin played but liked everything else”)