Joseph Martin Kraus (1756-1792), demonstrated talents as a composer at a young age and went on to lead an illustrious, if brief, career as an acclaimed classical composer. At the age of 26, Kraus embarked on a four-year grand tour, receiving accolades from some of the most important musical luminaries of the period as well as achieving a reputation as one of the top six most important composers of his age (the others being Haydn, Mozart, Rosetti, Pleyel, and Reichardt). Like Mozart, he was a prolific correspondent, whose many observations include musings on the music and musicians of his...