Julia's books

Today I opened the book on Chopin that I bought at that sale yesterday. That is it pictured above! I still have not figured out the piano piece quoted on the cover. I played it but I cannot place it. I thought it was part of this one Nocturne I played but then thought it was not.

Here is the inscription on the inside page:

Isn't that wonderful? August 1894.

The recipient, "Little Two Shoes," was named Julia Grayson, followed by a last name I cannot make out. It looks like Wilson but when I pick it apart I do not think it is. She was a student at the Richmond Female Seminary. I know that because I also bought her copy of Mendelssohn's "Songs Without Words." The Mendelssohn was a present from her father in '96. Not 1996. 1896!!

My father gave me music too once for Christmas! I hope that up in Heaven my father and Julia's father meet. The Mendelssohn is just an old Schirmer edition but here is something cool: It was back when he was Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. If you want to live like a Victorian as I do one thing you have to do is say Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy.

The Mendelssohn book is adorable because Julia wrote in all the titles in the table of contents starting with the first one which I studied in college with my teacher, Stephen Manes, and which thanks to him I still do play pretty well.

How sweet this all is! It made me think of the Mystery Missal.

Hereafter when I play the Songs Without Words I will play them only out of this book.

And I am looking forward to reading the book on Chopin!