A very comprehensive and didactic analysis on the music of the Baroque period. I would not recommend this book to those who do not poses a prior interest in the field as it is by no means a light read. It may very well come across as pedantic and tiresome in parts, although this is just the nature of a critical analysis. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Bukofzer's perspective on what makes a composer and their compositions inter-historically significant. The baroque period of music is all too often bulked into one lump period, whereas in actuality it was so rich with diversity. Bukofzer breaks down the many styles and forms into chapters that are organised by geography and chronology. An incredible insight for anyone desiring to enrich their baroque listening.