Lovelock's concise history of western music presents the progression of composition from the earliest counterpoint to Impressionism and the contemporary scene.

First published in 1953, Lovelock's text is a vital source of definitions and historical detail as he charts the changes in style and structure in response to the technical and mechanical development of the orchestral instruments. The guide also provides a fascinating look at the attitudes towards the development of the western musical canon as they stood in the 1950s. The text is punctuated with a wealth of detailed diagrams and plenty of musical examples, from Monteverdi to Stockhusen.