SIGNED BOOK. – Richard WAGNER. Parsifal. Ein Bühnenweihfestspielott’s Söhne, [circa 1882.] 3 vols., signed in ink twice by the composer Edward Elgar, 8vo (186 x 125mm.) Musical score and with words in German, English and French, notes in pencil and ink to all preliminaries, and a few pencil notes to score. (Mild toning, blue ink note to front endpapers, abrasions to vol. 1 front endpaper.) Original red cloth, gilt lettering (lightly rubbed). Note: signed ‘Edward Elgar, Bayreuth’ in vol. 1 and ‘Edward Elgar’ in vol. 3. Elgar saw ‘Parsifal’ twice in 1892 at The Bayreuth Festival, and then three times at the same venue in 1902. It was a hugely significant inspiration for the English composer and, in particular, for the composition of his choral work ‘The Dream of Gerontius’ which he considered the ‘best of me’. Provenance: R.O.E. (ink initials verso front endpaper of vol. 1, dated 12.3.22) (3).