The Masters and their Music A series of illustrative programs with biographical, esthetical, and critical annotations

The Masters and their Music by William S. B. Mathews opens a compelling pathway into classical repertoire, treating music as literature and introducing listeners to the individual voices behind the scores. Mathews presents a series of illustrative programs—part biography, part esthetic and critical commentary—that illuminate the styles, forms, and expressive aims of the great instrumental masters. Drawing on a late 19th-century pedagogical outlook, he focuses on the fountainheads of instrumental music—Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Chopin, and Liszt—tracing how each composer shaped phrasing, structure, and orchestral color and explaining why their works set the limits and standards for later composers. The book’s annotations guide close listening: historical context, biographical sketches, aesthetic principles, and program notes designed for clubs, classes, and private study sharpen the reader’s ability to hear nuance without spoiling musical surprises. As biography and music criticism merged in Mathews’s era, his accessible prose bridges scholarship and practical instruction. Ideal for music students, teachers, concertgoers, and anyone seeking a deeper, historically informed appreciation of classical instrumental music, this audiobook is a practical companion to scores and performances.