Over the centuries Britain has attracted many musical visitors. This book tells the stories of the many composers who visited--a varied and often eccentric collection of individuals. The earliest were invited by Royalty with musical tastes some were refugees from religious and political oppressions; others came as spies, a few to escape from debt and even murder charges. However, the main motive was a possibility of financial reward.
The rise in the nineteenth century of the celebrity composer, who was often also a conductor, is also traced. With the development of new forms of transport,...