A General History of Music, from the Earliest Times to the Present: Volume 2
Comprising the Lives of Eminent Composers and Musical Writers

Intended for the general reader, this two-volume work, first published in 1819, is a concise, popular interpretation of musical history.

Thomas Busby (Author)

9781108061759, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 27 June 2013

532 pages, 25 music examples
21.6 x 14 x 3 cm, 0.67 kg

The writer, composer and organist Thomas Busby (1754–1838) is best remembered for his highly entertaining Concert Room and Orchestra Anecdotes (1825), which paints a vivid picture of musical life at the time. The son of a coach painter, Busby was originally articled to the composer Jonathan Battishill, but found the experience unrewarding. His compositions (many now lost) include songs, theatre music and oratorios. His literary output included journal articles and monographs, among them A Grammar of Music (also reissued in this series) and A General History of Music. First published in 1819, this two-volume work proved controversial as it was alleged that Busby had plagiarised the great histories of Burney and Hawkins (also available in the Cambridge Library Collection). However, acknowledging his indebtedness to them, Busby provided a popular interpretation of their work for the general reader. Volume 2 covers the period from the sixteenth century to Busby's own time, with a particular emphasis on England.

1. State of music in England during the reign of Elizabeth
2. State of music in England, during the reign of Elizabeth (cont.)
3. Italian music theorists of the sixteenth century
4. State of the Roman, Venetian, Lombard, Neapolitan, Bologna, and Florentine schools of counterpoint, during the sixteenth century
5. German theorists of the sixteenth century
6. Eminent musicians in England, from the reign of Elizabeth to the Protectorate
7. Progress and specimens of secular music in England, from the reign of Elizabeth to the Protectorate
8. State of music in England, from the Protectorate to the time of Purcell
9. Purcell
10. General state of music, from the time of Purcell, to the middle of the last century
11. Establishment of the opera and oratorio in Italy
12. Progress of the lyric drama at Venice, Naples, Rome and in Germany and France, during the last century
13. General view of the principal Italian and German composers and performers of the last century
14. Handel
15. Haydn and Mozart
16. Establishment of the Italian opera in England, and its progress, previous to the middle of the last century
17. State of the Italian opera in England, subsequent to the middle of the last century
18. Arne and Arnold
19. Boyce and Batishill
20. General state of music, in England, from the beginning of the last century to the present time.

Subject Areas: Music [AV]