Samuel Wesley (1766-1837) was the son of the hymn-writer Charles Wesley and the nephew of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. He was one of the leading composers in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century England, and the finest organist of his day. He was also a misfit and a rebel, renowned for his outspoken views, his frequently wild behavior, and his irregular personal life. His music has become increasingly well known in recent years, and these letters to his friends and fellow musicians, over 400 of which are gathered together here for the first time, present both a witty,...

This well-documented life of Samuel Wesley gives a vivid picture of the life of a professional musician in late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century London. Wesley was born in 1766, the son of the Methodist hymn-writer Charles Wesley and nephew of the preacher John Wesley. He was the finest composer and organist of his generation, but his unconventional behaviour makes him of more than ordinary interest. He lived through a crucial stage of English music from the immediately post-Handel generation to the early Romantic period, and his large output includes piano and organ music, orchestral...

Hailed as a child prodigy and later acclaimed as England's finest extempore organist, Samuel Wesley - son of Charles Wesley and nephew of John Wesley, the founders of Methodism - is best known today for his musical compositions and for his promotion of the music of J.S. Bach. At the heart of this source book is a calendar of Samuel Wesley's correspondence. The editors date and summarize the content of over 1100 surviving letters and other documents, most of which have not previously been published. The book accordingly reveals considerable new information about Wesley and his complex personal...