Blaser, Robin

Bach's Belief (A Curriculum of the Soul No. 10)

Canton, NY: Institute of Further Studies, 1995. First Edition, First Printing. Stapled Wrappers. “Sometime after Charles Olson’s death in January 1970, I told Jack Clarke I wanted to publish some kind of tribute to Olson. He responded by sending me a copy of “A Plan for a Curriculum of the Soul,” which Olson had sent to us for publication in "The Magazine of Further Studies  No. 5." On the copy Jack had selected 28 terms as “subjects” and to each one he had written the name of a poet who might write a ‘fascicle’ using the term as a title. We agreed that he would request the text and forward it to me and that I would publish and distribute it. I imagined that the project would take about two years, but in fact it took thirty. Many of the fascicles were printed mimeograph, texts and covers. But as the decades passed, I began to employ commercial printers. The issues were sold by subscription or through book dealers. Press runs were usually close to 300 copies. After the final issue (“one’s own Language,” by Lisa Jarnot [a/k/a Issac Jarnot]) appeared in 2002, I began editing the whole toward a single volume limited edition of 51 copies designed and produced by Michael Russem at Kat Ran Press and bound in Japanese silk by Sarah Creighton. The book was released in 2010 at the Charles Olson Centennial celebration in Vancouver. In 2016 a two-volume trade edition was published by Spuyten Duyvil press” (Albert Glover, from the “Curriculum of the Soul” entry on Steve Clay, of Granary Books’ “From a Secret Location” website). This issue (or “fascicle”), titled Bach's Belief, the tenth in the series (see item no. 8138 for compendium, as noted in quote) is an essay (with sheet music! [pgs. 19, 21]) from American-Canadian poet, translator & opera composer Robin Blaser (1925-2009), comparing the music of classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) with the writing style of modernist poet Charles Olson (1910-1970), and it comes directly from the collection of Albert Glover (b. 1942), the great American scholar, bibliographer, author & publisher who is the foremost living authority on the literary giant Olson (our favorite Maximus Obscurantist), with whom we're honored to be acquainted. Inner front and back covers are adorned with excerpts from the aforementioned quoted letter. Chapbook in Stapled Wrappers: first edition, first-&-only printing. A rich & rewarding, charming collectible for Olson/Blaser enthusiasts, with uttermost distinguished provenance. In relatively quite very fine condition with only slight rubbing to front, back covers & stapled spine; a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; staples beginning to rust with no interior bleeding; no discernible flaws to text block. Interior very fine, essentially mint. Very Fine. [Item #8141]

Price: $150.00