CHASE

These duets are the first item in a two volume set (1st and 2nd violin) of duets by Viotti, Hubert Ries (op. 17), Moritz Hauptmann (op. 2) and Spohr (opp. 39 and 67) evidently bound together after 1839, since the title page of the Ries contains a handwritten presentation from Ries to 'Seinem Freunde F. David' with a somewhat oddly written date, probably 17/6 [18]39; this date tallies with the plate number (140) of the Bote und Bock edition. The front board of each volume has a label with the contents written in ink by David and signed by him. The first violin part of the Viotti duets contains extensive markings in a light grey pencil in all six duets, dark pencil markings in the first three staves of the first duet (overlaying the light pencil), as well as a few dark pencil and orange crayon markings scattered throughout. The second violin part has only a few pencil and crayon additions. The markings are probably almost all by David, but appear to be from a number of different periods. It seems clear that the light pencil preceded the dark pencil and that the crayon preceded the dark pencil. The light pencil may be the earliest example yet known of David's annotations; it seems to be in a much less mature hand, with several different forms later abandoned, including a distinctive 1 and an 'upside-down' down-bow sign. A few pencil markings in Duetto IV and in the Hauptmann and Spohr duets may stem from Paul David. [C. B.]