The Present State of Music in Germany, the Netherlands, and United Provinces

Although a well-connected music teacher by profession, Charles Burney (1726–1814) gained greatest recognition for his writings on music. In this 1773 work, reissued here in its 1775 second edition, Burney recounts the 1772 journey that he undertook as one of two research trips for his General History of Music (1776–89). Throughout his travels, he was welcomed by the leading musicians of the day and heard many performances of the latest music. The whole account provides an invaluable first-hand insight into European musical life in the eighteenth century. Burney's General History and The Present State of Music in France and Italy (1772), the record of his first tour, are also reissued in this series. Volume 1 includes his visits to Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt, and to Vienna where he spent considerable time with the librettist Metastasio and the composers Hasse and Gluck.