The Musician as Entrepreneur, 1700–1914

“Marries scholarly discipline with intriguing reading . . . The book will satisfy the thirst of historians, musicians and perhaps even an economist or two.” —American Music Teacher

To be successful, a musician often has to be an entrepreneur: someone who starts a performing venue, develops patrons, and promotes the project aggressively. Accomplishing this requires musicians to acquire social and business skills and to be highly opportunistic in what they do. In The Musician as Entrepreneur, 1700–1914, international scholars investigate cases of musical entrepreneurship between around 1700 and 1914 in Britain, France, Germany, and the United States. By uncovering the ways in which musicians such as Telemann, Beethoven, Paganini, and Liszt conducted their daily business, the authors reveal how musicians reshaped the frameworks of musical culture and, in the process, the nature of the music itself.

“Weber is an excellent music historian and the book will please all readers interested in musical sociology.” —Choice