author
W. S. B. (William Smythe Babcock) Mathews
1837–1912
A leading American music writer of the late 19th century, this organist, critic, and teacher helped shape how many readers and students first learned to listen to classical music. His books blend broad musical history with a practical, welcoming spirit that still feels made for curious newcomers.
2 Audiobooks
The Masters and Their Music A series of illustrative programs with biographical, esthetical, and critical annotations
by W. S. B. (William Smythe Babcock) Mathews
A Popular History of the Art of Music From the Earliest Times Until the Present
by W. S. B. (William Smythe Babcock) Mathews
About the author
Born in New Hampshire in 1837, Mathews studied music in Boston and later taught at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia. He went on to build much of his career in Chicago, where he served as an organist, edited musical publications, and wrote as a critic for major newspapers.
He became especially known as a writer and educator who explained music clearly for general readers. His books include A Popular History of the Art of Music, The Masters and Their Music, and A Hundred Years of Music in America, works that helped introduce wide audiences to composers, musical style, and the growth of music in the United States.
Mathews died in Denver, Colorado, on April 1, 1912. Remembered as an energetic advocate for musical culture in America, he stands out as one of the figures who helped bring serious music discussion out of specialist circles and into everyday reading life.