In Child Composers and Their Works: A Historical Survey, Barry Cooper examines over 100 composers born before 1900 who wrote substantial musical works before age 16. The book provides a general overview of the subject, examining the ways and identifying possible reasons these works have been marginalized in the general literature. The book also contains an annotated checklist of over 100 notable child composers, presenting a valuable and handy reference of these creators and their early works.
The annotated checklist presents a chronological listing of child composers born before 1900 and features a descriptive list of what they wrote, often including analytical commentary and offering occasional music examples for illustration. The list also includes a select catalog of works, suggestions for further reading, and recordings when available. Complete with a bibliography and an index of composers, this resource is invaluable to scholars and historians.
