Musical Lives

Feder charts the course of Ive's life and work with obvious empathy ... listeners new to Ives will come away with a real sense of the composer drawing on his idealised past to create music of... — Gramophone Magazine More…

A clear-sighted, brisk survey of the life — BBC Music Magazine More…

John Rosselli's latest contribution to this admirable series has all the virtues of his earlier Bellini study ... both man and musician are worthily served — Gramophone Magazine More…

The best parts of this absorbing book are those where Dingle relates the music to Messiaen's religious faith and to the many difficulties he faced during his life ... many of the author's judgments... — BBC Music Magazine More…

Many considerably longer biographies seem to contain less material and are less engaging. Musgrave's research has been extensive, while his judgement is admirably balanced — Classical Music More…

John Rosselli is that best kind of guide: a scholarly, amusing, sceptical enthusiast — Musical Times More…

One of the pleasures of The Life of Berlioz, by Peter Bloom, lies in the seamless way the author outlines the historical and cultural background. This book will be enjoyed by anyone interested... — The Times More…

The author provides an accessible, insightful, and sympathetically humanistic portrait of the day-to-day existence of the man, bringing to light commonplace practical matters of the life of... — Choice More…

Here, at last, is a Beethoven who behaves like a real composer. That he does so is thanks to the careful accumulation of circumstantial detail with which Wyn Jones, a dispassionate and even-handed... — BBC Music Magazine More…

Feder charts the course of Ive's life and work with obvious empathy ... listeners new to Ives will come away with a real sense of the composer drawing on his idealised past to create music of... — Gramophone Magazine More…