Masters of French Music

"Masters of French Music" by Arthur Hervey is a collection of biographical profiles and critiques composed near the close of the 1800s that spotlighted prominent French composers of the period. The book intends to shine a light on the lives and impacts of these musicians, with illustrations from people such as Ambroise Thomas and Charles Gounod. Hervey introduces his project with a preface, setting his plans to concentrate on the lives of composers still living, acknowledging the importance of French music and especially its opera history; he gives thoughts on composers such as Gounod and Thomas, noting their effect on French culture and the arts; he also recognizes the merits of earlier masters and the contemporary personalities updating the music scene. The beginning segment lays the groundwork for investigating these composers and contemplating about their musical context.