Trois Nocturnes pour Violon et Piano. Op. 16 (Title page and front wrap in French, German, and Russian) Illustrated by Ivan Bilibin

Berlin / Moscow / St. Petersburg: Rossiiskago Muzykal'nago Izdatel'stva, 1909. Softcover. First edition thus; 10 1/2 x 13 1/4; pp. 2-19, [2] blank, 2-5; illustrated wraps; spine with a thin strip of linen; faint "Vienna Austria" stamp to front wrap; US American book publisher's stamp to title page; blue smudge to back wrap; corner of pp. 11-12 clipped; good to very good condition.Nikolai Metner (1880-1951) began his music career as a professional pianist to later give it up and focus on composition. Unlike many of his contemporaries he stayed in Russia after the Revolution until 1924 at which point he came to the US for a concert tour and after that settled in London where he continued working until his death. His "Three Night Songs" or "Three Nocturnes" as they are known in English (though it is an inaccurate translation of the German word "nachtgesang") were inspired by a Goethe poem by the same name and composed in 1907.The music score's stunning cover art was designed by Ivan Bilibin - revered Russian graphic artist and member of Mir Iskusstva. OCLC lists one copy at Princeton with none other in the trade.