The Loves of Great Composers

"The Loves of Great Composers" by Gustav Kobbé is an older biographical work that looks at the love lives of famous composers, showing how their relationships affected their music. Composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt and Wagner are presented, along with stories of the people they loved and how those relationships influenced their work. The book starts with Mozart, describing his love for his wife Constance and using their letters to show their bond. It talks about how Mozart dealt with being famous and having money problems, and how Constance was always there for him. The opening portrays how love and making music were connected for these composers.