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.