The Harmonicon. Part the First

"The Harmonicon. Part the First" by Various is a compilation of writings from the 1800s that shines a light on the world of music at that time. It includes essays that judge musical pieces, stories about the lives of musicians, and updates from other countries on the musical scene. The book starts with a look into the life of Vincenzo Righini, an Italian composer, pointing out the difficulties artists faced in getting the recognition they deserved. It talks about his beginnings, his studies, and what he added to operas, while also bringing attention to the fact that he wasn't as appreciated as he should have been. To add to this, the book shares letters that discuss musical criticisms, showing how music was seen and talked about differently as time went on and painting a picture of the lively conversations happening around music back then.