12 Lyrical and Noteworthy Books About Composers

A Pulitzer Prize finalist, this book is a deep dive into the life and work of one of the most famous composers to ever live. Renowned biographer Maynard Solomon explores not only Mozart’s compositions but his personality, family life, and beliefs that made him into the composer he was, crafting an entirely human portrait of an extraordinary man. 

This collection of essays about Brahms and his music examines every aspect of one of the best composers of the 19th century. Originally published in 1990, Brahms and His World has long been the definitive work on the composer. This updated edition includes insights from a new generation of scholars.

Allen Shawn’s biography of Schoenberg is more of an exploration and discussion of the composer than a straightforward retelling of the man’s history. A Jewish man forced to emigrate from Europe and looked down upon for his heritage, Schoenberg was an exceptionally unique and interesting person. Shawn provides in-depth contemplations of some of his musical pieces as well as a broad view of his impact on the art world. 

Matthew McDonald offers a fresh approach to the music of the American modernist composer Charles Ives. Ives was a musical innovator who developed his own complex style. McDonald argues that Ives was greatly influenced by thinkers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau and that their transcendental ideologies allowed him to think beyond musical norms of time and chronology. 

Although he lived a tragically short life, Franz Schubert left a lasting impact on musical history. In this book, Richard Kramer examines Schubert’s song cycles and makes the claim that many of Schubert’s works were intended to be parts of larger cycles but were not published as such. This is a meticulous inquiry into the nature of Schubert’s songs.

Carefully selected and arranged by Nigel Simeone, this is a collection of letters written by Leonard Bernstein to his friends, collaborators, and family members. Discover the man behind the 20th century activist and musical genius. In his own words, Bernstein describes his life of turbulence, struggle, joy, humor, and song as he became an international star, and a criticized figure. 

Ferrucio Busoni was a renowned Italian composer and a teacher of many others who went on to be of importance in the musical world. Erinn E. Knyt delves into Busoni’s unique teaching style and how he impacted the work of his pupils, arguing that Busoni was a critical figure in shaping the musical landscape of the 20th century as his legacy was carried on by his students. 

For many American composers of the 20th century, learning from Nadia Boulanger in Paris or Fontainebleau greatly impacted their careers. A composer, teacher, and performer, Boulanger did it all, from private music lessons to radio broadcasts. Born in a time when it was almost impossible for women to have musical careers, Boulanger grew up to become an icon of 20th-century music. 

German composer Robert Schumann was one of the most influential composers of the 19th-century Romantic era. After an injury ended his piano career, Schumann turned to composing and wrote hundreds of pieces for piano and voice, as well as symphonies and an opera. Plagued by mental health issues, Schumann’s life is a complex story of obsession, genius, and tension. 

Jan Holcman presents this expansive study on the views and theories of legendary composer Frédéric Chopin. Holcman addresses Chopin’s ideas about pianism, composition, music criticism, and pedagogy, and dispenses crucial knowledge of the historical and musicological landscape within which Chopin lived. Readers will learn of Chopin’s life and body of work alongside his philosophies. 

Felix Mendelsohnn is well known as an important composer of the 19th century, but did you know that his sister, Fanny Mendelsohnn, was also a composer in her own right? This book articulates the lives and musical contributions of the two siblings and how their travels and their collaborative relationship impacted their work. Employing their personal letters, the narrative of their lives is shown alongside their commentary on each other’s music. 

One of the most admired and respected figures in all of Western musical history, Ludwig von Beethoven, has remained popular and relevant for the last two centuries. William Kinderman adds a new layer to the discussion of Beethoven by displaying him as a civically engaged political figure whose works reflected the historical challenges of his lifetime and continue to provide meaning to movements of resistance and activism today.