The Letters of Samuel Wesley

Samuel Wesley (1766-1837), the son of the hymn-writer Charles Wesley and the nephew of John Wesley, was one of the leading composers and organists of his day, a rebel, and a misfit. He converted from Methodism to Roman Catholicism, and his controversial views on marriage led to the desertion of his wife and a long-term relationship with a woman 28 years his junior. His music has become increasingly well known in recent years, and these letters to his friends and fellow musicians are the most extensive of any musician of the period, offering an unparalleled view of life as a professional musician in London in the early nineteenth century.