This title provides an illustrated guide to the most influential composers from the beginnings of musical composition in the 12th century to the golden age of classical music in the mid-19th century. The composers detailed include: Hildegard of Bingen, Josquin des Prez and William Byrd of the Medieval and renaissance eras; Antonio Corelli, Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel of the baroque era; and Joseph Hayden, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig von Beethoven from the classical period. The text provides biographies of each composer as well as explanations on how they were influenced by both the socio-political factors and artistic movements of their time.