American composer (1893–1969) who wrote music for the theater, film, ballet, and orchestra, best known for his operas The Devil and Daniel Webster and The Ballad of Baby Doe. Rare AMQS on an off-white 4.5 x 7 sheet. Moore pens two bars of music, which he labels as “from ‘Pageant of P. T. Barnum,’ Suite for Orchestra,” signed and inscribed below, “To Mr. Howes Norris Jr., with best wishes, Douglas Moore, Columbia University, May 6, 1929.” In fine condition, with a central horizontal fold and faint diagonal crease passing through the signature. ‘The Pageant of P. T. Barnum’ was Moore’s first serious attempt to capture the ‘musical Americana’ that would characterize his later work, and was the piece that brought him his first success. A rare and highly desirable early example from the influential American composer. RR Auction COA.
