Der Choral-Gesang zur Zeit der Reformation, oder Versuch, die Frage zu beantworten: Woher kommt es dass in den Choral-Melodien der Alten etwas ist, was heut zu Tage nichte mehr erreicht wird? Von P. Mortimer (Peter Mortimer). (Choral Singing at the Time of the Reformation, or an Attempt to Answer The Question: How is it that in the Choral Melodies of the Ancients there is Something that is Not Achieved Today? By Peter Mortimer) BERLIN : Bei Georg Reimer, 1821. First Edition. In two sections. Part 1 contains critical musicology text, Part 2 contains scores of 163 chorals. Plain blue paper wrappers (original printed wrappers lacking), perfect bound text, textually complete, 4to. 8 1/8 x 9 5/8 inches (21x24.5 cm), deckled front and bottom page edges. Pagination: [1 leaf] title page, blank verso; vi (bound of sequence); 153 pages (text), 112 pages (musical scores). Engraved portrait of Luther by L. Meyer after Cranach, on title page. GOOD condition: foxing and age toning / browning throughout but text and scores remain bright and clear; page edges are somewhat wavy and darkened from age; latter pages have some edge wear and corner creases; general signs of handling; most pages are uncut. A complete, presentable copy of this important, scholarly work on Reformation Chorale Music. Though functional in its perfect bound blue wrappers, the book would look incredible stitch bound in leather covers! Are you up for the task? PETER MORTIMER, b. 1750 d. 1828, was an English born Moravian organist, composer, conductor, and musicologist, who spent most of his life in Germany, in the Moravian settlements of eastern Saxony. In this work on the early church modes, or Gregorian modes, he explored the reasons for their superiority over the modern modes in the realm of choral music. Mortimer established that three modes governed Reformation chorale music, the hypodorian, hypophrygian (hypoionische), and hypomixolydian modes, and that the music had to be understood harmonically in that context. Considering the paucity of examples available to him at that time, Mortimer's musicological analysis was exceptionally astute, being fundamentally sound. (Eitner VII, 74-75; Kümmerle, Encyklopädie der evangelischen Kirchenmusik (1890) II:307-8).

DER MUSIKFEIND : EIN NACHTSTÜCK (The Enemy of Music: A Night Piece), by Gustav Nicolai.

A novel about a fictional young musical genius who is poisoned by a jealous colleague. It is a dark and moody tale, loosely based on the idea that Mozart was poisoned by fellow composer, Antonio Salieri.

Published by Otto Wigand, Leipzig (Germany), second edition, 1838.

Half leather (leather spine and corners) and marbled paper covered boards, 4.5x7 inches (11x17 cm), 294 pages. TEXT in GERMAN FRAKTUR (i.e. hard to read!)

GOOD condition: The covers are rubbed along the edges, corners, spine ends and spine folds, but are still sturdy and attractive; internally, there is a previous owner's name on the front free endpaper and bookplate on the front pastedown, light foxing and age spots to the pages, otherwise the pages are tight, bright, clean and unmarked. A solid, presentable copy of this unusual novel.

RARE in its true 1838 printing.

About the author GUSTAV NICOLAI:

******Gustav Alexander Wilhelm Nicolai, b.1795 d.1868, was a German writer and composer. His friends included the composers Adolf Bernhard Marx, Gaspare Spontini and Carl Loewe, for whom he wrote the oratorio libretto Die Zerstörung von Jerusalem, set to music by Loewe in 1833. Frederick William III of Prussia rewarded Nicolai with a golden box for the same libretto. The king was one of his main supporters, giving him the Gold Medal for Art and Science. Nicolai became widely known for his writing, especially his travelogue on Italy. Nicolai corresponded with Robert Schumann and wrote several books including Der Musikfeind: Ein Nachtstück.******

LA MÚSICA POPULAR y los MÚSICOS CÉLEBRES de la AMÉRICA LATINA, por A. L. CORTIJO. (POPULAR MUSIC and CELEBRATED MUSIC of LATIN AMERICA, by A. L. CORTIJO.) Published by Casa Editorial Maucci, BARCELONA, Spain, undated but circa 1920. SIGNED (Initialed) and DATED 1930 by JOAQUIN NIN on the title page. Softcovers,

5.5x8.5", 446 pages. Illustrated with drawings and musical snippets. CONDITION: LACKING FRONT COVER AND PRELIMS (first page is the title page); spine covering mostly chipped off, rear cover present but very worn; the first few signatures are disbound and loose, and the rest of the binding is very shaky with some signatures loose and many almost loose; some dark dime size stains here and there throughout (mostly in the blank front or bottom margin); some margin marks; the first few pages have edge wear; nonetheless a textually complete copy of this important book, SIGNED (Initialed) by one of the great Composers and Arrangers of Spanish Music, Joaquin Nin. About JOAQUIN NIN (from Wikipedia): ******Joaquín Nin y Castellanos (September 29, 1879, Havana - October 24, 1949, Havana) was a Cuban pianist and composer. Nin studied piano with Moritz Moszkowski and composition at the Schola Cantorum (where he taught from 1906 to 1908). He toured as a pianist and was known as a COMPOSER and ARRANGER of POPULAR SPANISH FOLK MUSIC. Nin was a member of the Spanish Academy and the French Legion of Honor. He was the father of Thorvald Nin, composer Joaquín Nin-Culmell, and writer Anaïs Nin with singer Rosa Culmell. In her diaries and fiction, his psychoanalytically oriented writer daughter Anaïs Nin often attempts to explain her own personality and problems by recalling how her father treated her as a child. She was also close to him off and on as an adult. Her "unexpurgated" diary volume Incest: From a Journal of Love describes an adult incestuous relationship with him. He also appears in her fiction. She describes him as an egotistical Don Juan, and she imitated him at times by being a "Doña Juana".******

THE GIFT TO BE SIMPLE: SONGS, DANCES AND RITUALS OF THE AMERICAN SHAKERS, by Edward Deming Andrews.

Published by J. J. Augustin Publisher, New York, 1940. First edition, first printing, with the date 1940 on the copyright page with no indication of later printings.

Hardcover Book in Dustjacket, 6.5x9 inches, 170 pages.

Condition: VERY GOOD book, a few pea size spots to the top page edges (page edges of the closed book), otherwise just lightly used and still tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked; in a GOOD dustjacket that is toned (as normal), sunned at the spine, has light soiling, some edge and spine end wear, and small tears and chips; still this fragile dj remains solid, is doing its job well, and retains its 5.50 price at the top of the front flap.

The 1940 First Edition Hardcover in Dustjacket published by Augustin is hard to find and quite lovely.

RARE, EARLY 1958 CONCERT PROGRAM by the DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET. "Benefit Jazz Concert by the Dave Brubeck Quartet for Dave's Friend, Al Jay Naukana, January 7, 1958, 150 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco." The "Master of Ceremonies" was Phil Elwood, longtime San Francisco Bay Area jazz and blues critic.

HAND-SIGNED by BAND MEMBERS DAVE BRUBECK, PAUL DESMOND and JOE MORELLO, and BAND MANAGER MORT LEWIS.

Joe Morello and Mort Lewis also INSCRIBED the booklet to JEAN (Jean Gundlach), who was on the Committee that arranged for the Benefit Concert (she is named at the bottom of the last page of the 4 page program pamphlet).

Also signed Lou Olvera, who was a beloved teacher at the East Contra Costa Junior College (now Diablo Valley College) and Jazz fan. Dave Brubeck once performed at ECCJC along with Cal Tjader.

The program consists of TWO ITEMS:

(1) An illustrated SIGNED and INSCRIBED booklet about the Dave Brubeck Quartet and its members, produced as an informational booklet for Brubeck's 1957-1958 tour, published by Derry Music Co., 1957. Printed paper covers, side-stapled 8.5x11 inches, 16 pages including covers. VERY GOOD condition, light offsetting to the front cover, and light signs of handling, overall tight, bright, clean and clear; with lovely signatures and inscriptions.

(2) A 4 page program for the "BENEFIT JAZZ CONCERT" that took place on January 7, 1958 in San Francisco. GOOD condition, several horizontal folds, perhaps to fit into a jacket pocket, otherwise just lightly used, bright and clear.

About JEAN (Gundlach), who was on the Committee to arrange the Benefit Concert, and to whom Joe Morello and Mort Lewis inscribed the program (from her 2010 Seattle Times obituary):

******Jean Gundlach, b.1914 d.2010, was a lifetime labor union activist. Beginning in the 1950s she served for 30 years as secretary to Harry Bridges in the ILWU in San Francisco. Throughout her years, Jean devoted herself to progressive programs, fighting against the McCarthy hearings, working with migrant farm worker organizations in the 1950s, joining many labor strikes and walkouts, etc. She was central to the creation of the Harry Bridges Chair and Center for Labor Studies at the University of Washington.******

OPERA CAVALCADE - STORY OF THE METROPOLITAN. Published by The Metropolitan Opera Guild, New York, 1938.

Doubling as an AUTOGRAPH ALBUM, the book contains SIGNATURES of 55 OPERA SINGERS collected by a fan over the OPERATIC SEASONS 1943-1948. The signatures are on opera program covers, cut pages, and clipped sheets, that have been glued on (most at the corners) to the pages and inside covers of the book. The signatures are in ink and pencil.

On the title page the previous owner lists some of the operas he/she attended, and the dates they were performed.

On page 63 there is a list of all the members of the "current" Metropolitan Opera Company (i.e. 1938 when this book was published). There are check marks by twenty-one of the names. Those names make up part of the 55 signatures collected in this album/book.

Signatures include: Karin Branzell, Thelma Votipka, Edward Johnson, Bidu Sayão, Nicola Moscona, Patrice Munsel, Ezio Pinza, Rose Bampton, Frances Greer, Richard Tucker, Zinka Milanov, Lily Pons, Astrid Varnay, Florence Quartararo, and many, many more.

The book - Opera Cavalcade: The Story of the Metropolitan, is a history of the Metropolitan Opera. It is filled with b&w photographs of stage productions and singers, and includes a nice frontispiece photograph of Edward Johnson by Steichen.

Condition: The book is in GOOD MINUS condition, worn through at the edges and corners, with rubs, scrapes and scratches to the boards; but is solid and has a cover image that is bright and attractive. The inner pages have some age toning and foxing, and two pages have offsetting likely from a newspaper page laid in at some point; otherwise the inner pages are tight, bright, clean and clear. The signatures are mostly sharp and clear though some of the pencil signatures are fading, but even those are easily legible with only one that has faded into near illegibility, at least according to my aging eyes.

A wonderful look at the world of Opera as it was in the mid 1940s, filled with signatures of those who were part of that world.

A unique treasure for the lover of opera in your life or soul.

THE SECOND HURRICANE: A Play Opera in Two Acts - For High School Performance. MUSIC by AARON COPLAND. Libretto by Edwin Denby. This was Aaron Copland's FIRST OPERA.

SIGNED, INSCRIBED and DATED by AARON COPLAND on the title page:

"For Martin Riskin / Aaron Copland / '72".

Martin Riskin, individually and through his charitable foundation, was a major supporter of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and classical music throughout New York City. A search for "Martin Riskin" together with "New York Philharmonic" will provide a good sampling of Martin Riskin's involvement with classical music and musicians.

Published by Boosey & Hawkes, undated but likely circa 1970, a later printing. (First published by Birchard & Company in 1937, the rights to this work were transferred from Blanchard to Boosey & Hawkes in 1957. Any copies showing Boosey & Hawkes as the publisher were published post 1957.)

Musical score, softcovers, 7x10.25 inches, 112 page score plus 8 introductory pages, including a facsimile of a program for the original 1937 production which was titled: "The Second Hurricane: A Play Opera for High School Children". (I like how "Children" was changed to "Performers" in later editions.) There is a long tradition of great composers writing operas to be performed by young performers.

VERY GOOD condition, tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked. A lovely copy.

RARE with the SIGNATURE and INSCRIPTION of AARON COPLAND from 1972, and the Association to the notable NY Philharmonic supporter Martin Riskin.

THE ANNALS OF THE BOHEMIAN CLUB VOLUME IX - MUSIC and MUSICIANS in BOHEMIA The First One Hundred Years [A Symphonic Summary], by Richard P. Buck.

Published by the Bohemian Club, San Francisco, 2007. Limited to 3,000 copies, as stated on the Colophon Page (the last page).

COMPLETE SET - Hardcover book, green cloth covered boards with gilt titling on the spine, 7x9.5 inches, xvii, 187 pages + Three CDs and accompanying booklet in a cd case + Slipcase covered in matching green cloth, with gilt design on the front and gilt titling on the spine

NEAR FINE BOOK, very light rubs to the covers, overall looks and feels unused, tight, bright, clean and unmarked; in a VERY GOOD SLIPCASE that has some shelf rubs, overall bright and solid; with CDs that look unused, and an accompanying CD booklet that is in GOOD condition, with some creasing. A wonderful, very presentable set.

BOGEY BEASTS. By Sidney H. Sime. Music by Josef Holbrooke.

A collection of Sime's imaginary and fantastic creatures, each accompanied by a short song written by the well known but controversial composer Josef Holbrooke. Holbrooke wrote numerous symphonies and orchestral works based on the macabre writings of Edgar Allan Poe. A perfect accompaniment for this book filled with eccentric beasts.

Published by Purple Mouth Press in a LIMITED EDITION of only 500 copies. A facsimile of the 1923 edition published in London by Goodwin & Tabb.

Illustrated wrappers, 8.5x11 inches, 62 pages. Illustrated throughout with Sime's beasts and odd creatures.

FINE condition, looks and feels unused.

SIDNEY HERBERT SIME (S.H. Sime), b.1865 d.1941, was an English artist in the late Victorian and succeeding periods, mostly remembered for his fantastic and satirical artwork, especially his story illustrations for Irish author Lord Dunsany. - Wikipedia

JOSEPH CHARLES HOLBROOKE, b.1878 d.1958, was an English composer, conductor, and pianist...Holbrooke was fascinated by the writings of Edgar Allan Poe which deal with the supernatural and the macabre, eventually producing over thirty compositions which he referred to as his Poeana. These included orchestral works (The Raven, Ulalume, The Sleeper, Amontillado, and The Pit and the Pendulum), a double concerto for clarinet and bassoon (Tamerlane), choral works (a choral symphony Homage to E.A. Poe, and a poem for chorus and orchestra The Bells), a ballet (The Masque of the Red Death), a multitude of chamber works (such as the Clarinet Quintet Ligeia, the Trio Fairyland, and the Nonet Irene) and several piano pieces. - Wikipedia

A COLLECTION OF THREE 1860s ORIGINAL AMERICAN SONG SHEET BROADSIDE BALLADS

For most of the 19th century, before Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877 Americans learned popular music from printed song sheets, single printed sheets with lyrics but no music. Here is a collection of three:

A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW! Published by Horace Partridge, No. 27 Hanover Street, Boston, no date circa 1860s. Four verses and chorus with narrative text. Single sheet, 7.5" x 5", text within ornamental boarder. Ballad.

LANNEGAN'S BALL. Published by Horace Partridge, No. 27 Hanover Street, Boston, no date circa 1860s. Seven verses. Single sheet, 8.25" x 5.5", text within ornamental border. Partying song.

SAD NEWS FROM HOME. Published by George P. Reed, Boston, no date circa 1860s. Three verses and chorus. Single sheet, 8.25" x 5", text within ornamental border. Parlor Death song.

These three original 1860 Song Sheets are in GOOD CONDITION: with edgewear, small edge tears, chips and creasing, some droplet stains, faded penned writing, and wear from age and use, overall these ephemeral pieces of Americana are still in one piece, clean, bright and clear.

From popular new songs sung in music halls, beer halls, churches and soldiers barracks to new lyrics for familiar ballads some of America's most beloved tunes were printed as song sheets including "The Star Spangled Banner" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic." They were intensely popular from 1840 to 1870. To produce the song sheets printers used a raised plate to ink engraved illustrations and text onto the paper. Competing printers often printed the same song sheet but with a different border or illustration to entice collectors.

COUNT IGNAZIO ALESSANDRO COZIO DI SALABUE - OBSERVATIONS on the CONSTRUCTION of STRINGED INSTRUMENTS and THEIR ADJUSTMENT: 1804, 1805, 1809, 1810, 1816.

Compiled, Translated, Edited and Annotated by Andrew Dipper and David Woodrow from Salabue's original books and manuscripts. Produced as part of the series: Technical Studies in the Arts of Musical Instrument Making

Published by Taynton Press, Taynton, England, 1987. Produced as part of the series: Technical Studies in the Arts of Musical Instrument Making. ISBN 10: 1870952006 ISBN 13: 9781870952002.

FIRST and LIMITED EDITION of only 995 copies, this being hand numbered copy 890.

Hardcover book in dustjacket, black cloth covered boards, gilt embossed titling on the front cover and spine, 8.5x12 inches, 85 pages.

Condition: VERY GOOD book, lightly used with a couple small indentations on the covers, in a VERY GOOD dustjacket that has light creases from handling and use, still bright and clean. A solid, very presentable copy.

About COUNT IGNAZIO ALESSANDRO COZIO DI SALABUE (from Wikipedia):

******Count Ignazio Alessandro Cozio di Salabue, b.1755 d.1840, was an Italian Count known as the first great connoisseur and collector of violins. Among the most important instruments in Cozio's collection were ten violins of Antonio Stradivari, which he acquired from the maker's son Paolo in 1773-1774; however, many more instruments by Stradivari and numerous other renowned violin makers were in his collection or passed through his hands over the years. Cozio's meticulous notes on nearly every instrument that passed through his hands contributed enormously to the body of knowledge surrounding Italian violin making.******

GRATEFUL DEAD - TWENTY FIVE YEARS - EUROPE 1990.

SIGNED & INSCRIBED in SILVER on the FRONT COVER by KEN KESEY, Friend, Mentor and LSD Guru to the Grateful Dead:

"Hmmm... / that's either Bill Graham's ghost or a live version of / Ken Kesey".

SIGNED & INSCRIBED in GOLD on the first two page panel by KEN BABBS, an LSD laden Merry Prankster and friend of the Grateful Dead and Ken Kesey:

"I didn't Go! - DURN! - Ken Babbs".

Softcovers, side stapled, 11.75x11.75 inches (the shape of a vinyl album cover), 26 pages. illustrated with photographs of the band and its Dead members.

NEAR FINE condition, just lightly handled, tight, bright, clean and clear. A lovely copy.

RARE SIGNED & INSCRIBED ASSOCIATION COPY that combines the GHOST of BILL GRAHAM, with the MERRY PRANKSTER MISCHIEVOUS WIT of KEN KESEY, and the LSD mindset of Prankster and Dead Friend KEN BABBS.

A Unique Item from the Pranksters and the Dead.

About KEN KESEY (excerpts from Wikipedia):

******Ken Kesey, b.1935 d.2001, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Sometimes a Great Notion, Merry Pranksters, Acid Tests, Grateful Dead... After One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was published, Kesey began hosting happenings with former colleagues, miscellaneous bohemian and literary figures, and other friends (Ken Babbs et al), collectively known as the MERRY PRANKSTERS; these parties, known as ACID TESTS, integrated the consumption of LSD with multimedia performances. KESEY MENTORED THE GRATEFUL DEAD (THE ACID TESTS' HOUSE BAND) throughout their early years and continued to exert a profound influence upon the group throughout their career.******

About KEN BABBS (from Wikipedia):

******Ken Babbs, b.1936, is a famous Merry Prankster who became one of the psychedelic leaders of the 1960s. He, along with best friend and Prankster leader Ken Kesey, wrote the book Last Go Round. Babbs is best known for his participation in the Acid Tests and on the bus Further. He and Ken Kesey said The Acid Tests were conceived when the Pranksters met the Grateful Dead.******

About BILL GRAHAM (from Wikipedia):

******Bill Graham, b.1931 d,1991, was a German-American rock concert promoter from the 1960s until his death in 1991 in a helicopter crash. On July 4, 1939, he was sent from Germany to France due to political uncertainty in his home country. At age 10, he settled into a foster home in the Bronx, New York. In the early 1960s, Graham moved to San Francisco, and in 1965, began to manage the San Francisco Mime Troupe which eventually led to his becoming one of the world's greatest Rock Concert Promoters. His promoted concerts at the Fillmore and Winterland Ballrooms made such bands as the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Big Brother and the Holding Company with Janis Joplin, world famous. The San Francisco Civic Auditorium was renamed The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in his honor.******

Separately bound PAPER of LEONARD STEIN delivered at the 1974 VIENNA CONGRESS of the INTERNATIONAL SCHÖNBERG SOCIETY. His paper is titled FROM INCEPTION TO REALIZATION IN THE SKETCHES OF SCHOENBERG. SIGNED and INSCRIBED by LEONARD STEIN on the cover page: "to Milton and Judy / My paper for the Schoenberg Congress / 4 years late / Best wishes, as always / Leonard". Booklet, stapled pages, cover page plus 16 pages numbered 213 to 228. Title page in German, Leonard Stein paper in English, verso of the last page is the first page of another paper and is in German. Front cover of this separately bound publication of Leonard Stein's paper reads (with English translations in parentheses): Bericht über den Kongress der Internationalen Schönberg Gesellschaft, Wien, 4 bis 9 Juni, 1974. (Report on the Congress of the International Schoenberg Society, Vienna, July 4 through 9, 1974.) Im Auftrag der Gesellschaft herausgegeben von Rudolf Stephan (Commissioned by Rudolf Stephan). Sonderdruck aus den Publikationen der Internationalen Schönberg Gesellschaft, Band 1. Nicht einzeln im Buchhandel erhältlich. (Special edition from the publications of the International Schoenberg Society, Volume 1. Not available individually in bookstores.) Published by Verlag Elisabeth Lafite, Wien, [1978]. GOOD condition, 5a food covered finger smudge to the front cover over the inscription (the inscription remains bright and clear), otherwise the pages are just lightly used and still tight, bright and clean. Leonard Stein made a hand correction to a single word of text on the first page. About LEONARD STEIN (from Wikipedia): ******Leonard David Stein, b. 1916 d. 2004, was a musicologist, pianist, conductor, university teacher, and influential in promoting contemporary music on the American West Coast. He was for years Arnold Schoenberg's assistant, music director of the Schoenberg Institute at USC, and among the foremost authorities on Schoenberg's music. He was also an influential teacher in the lives of many younger composers, such as the noted minimalist La Monte Young.******

An early, important and scarce composition by American Composer NED ROREM. From Virgil Thomson's personal collection.

PRAYER AND PARAPHRASE for Virgil Thomson by NED ROREM

NED ROREM music composition written in his hand. Signed holograph music manuscript reproduced by blue print process with Circle Blue Print Co., New York City printed in the bottom margin. Piano composition, small folio, one folded sheet 11" x 14", opens to 22" x 14", 2 pages. Beneath the last measure of Prayer is the number 9-25-45, and beneath the last measure of Paraphrase is the number 10-45. They are most likely the composition dates, September 25, 1945 and October 1945. Such copies are made for a performance, usually not many exist.

GOOD CONDITION: The sheet is toned, lightly foxed, slightly fragile, the fold is tender and starting to split but holding, tiny tears and chips to edges, otherwise the piece is bright, unmarked, completely legible, and remains upright on a music stand. Scarce, OCLC locates only one other copy archived at Yale in the Virgil Thomson Papers.

Ned Rorem (1923-2022) Iconic American Composer and Diarist. He won a Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1976 for his Air Music: Ten Etudes for Orchestra.

Virgil Thomson (1896-1989) American Composer and Critic. He was instrumental in the development of the "American Sound" in classical music. In 1949, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music for the score to the film Louisiana Story.

Original July 1974 CIRCLE STAR THEATRE Home of the Superstars PROGRAM, featuring THE JACKSON FIVE, and DIONNE WARWICKE with Special Guest Stars THE STYLISTICS

Published by The Circle Star Theatre, San Carlos, CA, 1974. First and only edition, softcover, illustrated wrappers, 8.5" x 5.5", side staple bound, 22 pages, with brief bios of the performers illustrated with b&w photographs, graphic local advertisements including a very 70s style illustrated map of advertisers found from San Francisco to San Jose, and an order form to purchase tickets at the rear. NEAR FINE Condition: small upper corner-tip crease on the rear cover, otherwise tight, bright, clean and unmarked. Uncommon 1970s Bay Area entertainment ephemera.

The Circle Star Theatre was built in 1964 as a 3700 seat live entertainment venue in San Carlos, California. A theater in the round with 360° seating and a slowly rotating circular stage. There wasn't a bad seat in the house. It had a restaurant and multiple nightclubs, and guests wore suits and gowns. The Circle Star Theater's marquee was one of the most memorable landmarks between San Jose and San Francisco.

For three decades, the venue welcomed many of the world's most famous performers. From Crooners to Motown, Rock and Roll to R&B, Country to Funk, and Disco to Comedy, people came from all over the Bay Area to pack the house for a magical evening. Historic performances at the Circle Star included: The Jackson 5, Josephine Baker, Janis Joplin, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, The Carpenters, The Animals, Marvin Gaye, Barry White, The Ohio Players, Tower of Power, Tom Waits, Aretha Franklin with King Curtis & the Kingpins, Judy Garland, Smokey Robinson, Olivia Newton-John, War, Burt Bacharach, KC and the Sunshine Band, Willie Nelson, Cheech and Chong, The Stylistics, Roy Orbison, B. B. King, Liberace, Andy Kaufman, Richard Pryor, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, LL Cool J, Al Green and so many others.

The Theatre was demolished in 1997 and replaced with boring office buildings.