This reference seeks to identify and briefly annotate a wide range of subjects relating to English musical culture, largely from the early 15th century through 1958, dates that reflect the coalescence of an identifiable English style in the early Renaissance and the death of the iconic Ralph Vaughan Williams in the mid-20th century. Some of the truly great "English" composers figuring in this volume include Johann Christian Bach, Felix Mendelssohn, and Georg Frideric Handel, along with singers like Jenny Lind and Farinelli and many others.

The Historical Dictionary of English Music covers its subject matter through a chronological table of important events, an introductory essay on the history of English music, an extensive bibliography, and over 600 cross-referenced dictionary entries on people, venues, repertory, genre, and sources. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about English music during this important period.