Carmichael Hoagy

Hoagy Carmichael Signed "Star Dust" Sheet Music

Sheet music from one of his most famous songs inscribed and signed by American composer Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael (1899-1981) as "To David Freedman / Sincerely / Hoagy Carmichael" in blue pen near the top of the front cover. The sheet music, with bilingual English and French lyrics, is for the song "Star Dust", or, "Etoile d'Amour" [trans: "Star of Love"]. The light blue front cover is double-sided; the first page of the song lyrics can be found verso. Another fragment of the sheet music has been mounted as decoration on the bottom of the front cover. Trimmed at right and bottom. Tiny mounting trace at center verso, else near fine. 8" x 10.25".

Complete Lyrics, "Star Dust"

Sometimes I wonder


Why I spend the lonely nights


Dreaming of a song


The melody


Haunts my reverie


And I am once again with you


When our love was new


And each kiss an inspiration


Oh, but that was long ago


Now my consolation is in the stardust of a song


Beside a garden wall, when stars are bright


You are in my arms


The nightingale


Tells his fairytale


Of paradise, where roses grew


Though I dream in vain


In my heart, it will remain


My stardust melody


The memory of love's refrain


Though I dream in vain


In my heart, it will remain


My stardust melody


The memory of love's refrain

Hoagy Carmichael composed dozens of hits over his nearly 60-year-long musical career, including "Star Dust", originally recorded by Carmichael on piano without vocals in late October 1927. (Mitchell Parish had written the song lyrics by 1928.) Carmichael lacked any formal musical training besides basic piano instruction from his mother as a child. His music, lyrics, and playing style effortlessly captured the zeitgeist of the Depression era, and he further popularized his music by embracing radio, film, and television. Perhaps Carmichael's most memorable performance on the silver screen was in Howard Hawks's To Have and To Have Not (1944). Carmichael plays Cricket, a straight-talking piano player in a Caribbean hotel bar, opposite Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in their first movie pairing.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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