A comparative latecomer to the world of classical music, America has nonetheless produced many of the greatest composers of the past century. In a survey that extends from colonial times to the 21st century, Barrymore Laurence Scherer assesses the musical contributions and on two discs, samples the music of such composers as Stephen Foster ("Beautiful Dreamer"), Louis Moreau Gottschalk (The Hen), Scott Joplin (Maple Leaf Rag), Amy Beach (Piano Concerto in C-sharp Minor), Charles Ives (The Unanswered Question), George Gershwin (An American in Paris), Leonard Bernstein (Symphony no. 1), Aaron Copland (Quiet City), Samuel Barber (Vanessa), Philip Glass (Symphony no. 3), and John Cage (Totem Ancestor), situating them in the context of American history. Part of the Life and Music series, this book offers a fully rounded multimedia portrait of these major composers through words, images, and music from Naxos, the world's largest independent classical music label. Here too is a link to a dedicated website with additional music and information.