A model of clear arrangement the book has an index of the composers, their biographies, helpful definitions and a separate appendix of the composer’s works.

The short biographies are in chronological order from Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594) to Dmitri Shostakovich, born in 1906 and still extant when the volume was published in 1943.

The biographies are charming vignettes of character, personality and accomplishment. Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) the greatest violinist of his day perfected the concerto grosso and composed fine solo sonatas for the violin. On the way he made a fortune which he never spent, as he ‘lived frugally, though he created richly’, (p13). A personal favourite, Ralph Vaughan-Williams (1872- still alive in 1943), was deeply versed in folksong which he turned to good effect. He is described as ‘a big, genial Englishman, complete with pipe, walking stick and baggy clothes…an exponent of his expressed conviction that “if the roots of your art are firmly planted in your own soil… you may still gain the whole world and not lose your own souls.”’ (p179)

Then there is Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): ‘He was in truth the greatest artist of them all. His majesty of soul gave its own nobility to his music, while his force and vision democratised and liberated it, making it serve all times, all places and all peoples.’

Buy The Story of One Hundred Great Composers at Attic books in Nairobi Kenya.
 

Book details

• Format Hardcover
• Pages293 pages
• LanguageEnglish
• ISBN10B000IYE63K
• ISBN13B000IYE63K