If you read the post where David King checked in to tell us about the beautiful leather bound volume (below) of ‘The World of Music’ by Kjell Bloch Sandved, you know I was intrigued, and I ordered a copy of a later edition from a used book seller on Amazon (because I couldn't find the same one David found).

The version I ordered was the 'First American Edition' of 1963, and consisted of four volumes, each containing about 400 pages.

While the photos on Amazon showed the beautiful leather bound version that David told us about, the one I actually received was more like classic dictionary fare, and bound like a college textbook rather than David's luxury European edition of 1954.

The Publisher's Foreword to The First American Edition says that it includes "more than three years of additional writing, rewriting, interviewing, and research by a large editorial staff, this American version of a contemporary European classic is now published. It is the only popular illustrated music encyclopedia of such large scope ever produced in English for the general reader. This work is based on the The World of Music which, edited by K. G. Sandved, had first been published in Norway and then translated from the original Norwegian into many European languages."

The Publisher's Forward goes on to say, "The present volumes are completely revised, enlarged, and expanded for American readers, in order to give proper attention to our own national musical habits - our tastes and interests - and the enormous and varied atmosphere and condition of music in America. Thus, appearing in this edition only, are articles on the American musical theater, modern dance, folk music, jazz, and many other topics of lively interest in both popular and classical music. In this edition only, are the innumerable entries on popular singers, performers, and others who are or have become part of American musical life."

I'm glad to have the additional musical content, as it cuts across my musical interests, but I wish I had a copy of the classy leather-bound, one-volume European version too, as I think it would be fun to have out as a 'coffee table book' for friends during listening sessions, so I'll keep looking for a nice copy of the English language European version too.

Here's a tip for my fellow bibliophiles out there: My sweet friend, Cindy, who knows that I'm an avid reader, gave me a tooled leather-bound volume of The Leopold Shakspere, circa 1870's.

The preface of this beautiful book says, "The Leopold Shakspere contains the works of the Poet arranged according to a conjectural chronological order supplied most kindly by Professor Delius, of Bonn, expressly for this edition."

There is a lovely hand written note in my volume: "To Louisa, from Will, Christmas, 1875."

Thank you, Cindy! I anticipate more 'Shakspere' coming into my life!

Thanks for stopping by!