FUX, JOHANN JOSEPH. Gradus ad Parnassum sive manuductio ad compositionem musicae regularem, methodo nova, ac certa, nondum ante tam exacto ordine in lucem edita. Viennae Austriae [Vienna/ Wien], J. P. van Ghelen, 1725.
Folio (c. 325x210 mm.). (8), 279, (1, errata) pp. With engraved folding frontispiece, 1 engraving to text and numerous typeset musical examples, woodcut vignettes and capitals. Verso of frontispiece with old library stamp from Musikwissenschaftl. Seminar der Universität Heidelberg together with the withdrawal stamp, pages 213-214 with tear and repaired corner (c. 100x130 mms), replaced by facsimile, some spotting and browning.
Contemporary full leather binding, partly worn, richly gilt spine in compartments, title label, upper part of spine repaired, gilt edges. Inside of lower board with antiquarian label from "Henning Oppermann vorm. Rudolf Geering, Buchantiquariat... Basel, Gegründet 1800".

Rare first edition. PMM 183 (Printing and the Mind of Man) "--one of the most influential and long-lived of all works of music theory".
Debussy invoked Fux in his 'Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum' from the Children's Corner Suite (1906). The work was translated into German, Italian, English and French in the eighteenth century, but the first edition is uncommon at auction.
The engraved frontispiece by Müller after Van Scuppen, depicting Orpheus and Pegasus on Mount Parnassus, the music also include complete fugues.