Concise personal biographies tell the stories of more than 150 composers, offering clear and helpful insights into the qualities of their music. The text is enhanced by lavish, full-colour illustrations and photographs, revealing the music of the era through the art of the day. As well as telling the stories of the great and the famous, such as Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, this book introduces a number of talented composers such as John Field, Franz Berwald and Hugo Wolf, whose musical repertoire is less widely known.