This engaging and immensely readable book is the first history of British music to be published for fifty years. It tells the fascinating story of the people who have shaped Britain's musical life over the centuries: the composers and performers; the promoters and impresarios; the conductors and critics. It shows how its music evolved – and is still evolving – against a background of religious, social, political, technical and technological change. It addresses readers with all levels of musical knowledge and interest, from the musically-minded and musically-informed to those seeking an accessible introduction to the subject.
Volume One covers the period up to 1800, beginning with the discovery of a set of pipes dating from 2000 BC in an Irish bog and following the twists and turns of music in the British Isles up to the end of the eighteenth century. Celts and Romans, Saxons and Normans all brought music with them. Kings and queens, popes and archbishops alike saw music as a means of glorifying themselves and pursuing their religious and secular ends. The Reformation threw church music into chaos, but none the less managed to produce some of the greatest British composers. The Civil Wars and the Commonwealth created even greater disruption. The Restoration led to a new flowering of musical ideas. The eighteenth century saw the emergence of a musical market place. Continental musicians flocked to Britain for the money they could earn there. Concert promoters and theatre managers competed to attract new talent and reap the rewards.
