Dmitri Shostakovich: The Life and Background of a Soviet Composer by SEROFF, Victor Ilycih; GALLI-SHOHAT, Nadejda - 1943

New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Very Good in Fair dust jacket. 1943. First Edition. Hardcover. A stated first edition of this biography of the great Russian classical composer, Dimitri Shostakovich (1906-1975). The composer was born in St. Petersburg and grew up amidst the turmoil of World War I and the Russian Revolution. Victor Seroff was assisted in the writing of this work by Nadejda Galli-Shhat, aunt of the composer. With several black & white photos, including a frontis photographic portrait of the author. Signed by Mr. Seroff on front endpaper: "With the compliments / of the author / Victor Seroff / Oct 10 1943." --- In full orange cloth-covered boards with decoration to front board & spine titling, both in red; red topstain. Dust jacket repeats the frontis photographic portrait. --- With a little age-toning to leaves, otherwise a tightly-bound, sound copy. Price-clipped, brittle dust jacket with plenty of tears and chips as well as yellowing but mostly intact and wrapped in removable archival mylar protector.; Octavo - 8 to 9 in. tall; xi, 260, vii pages; Signed by Author .