The recollections of the great American composer and pianist Louis Gottschalk shine with majesty and insight into the life of a touring virtuoso in the nineteenth century.

Well-travelled and appreciated by audiences across Europe and the Americas, Gottschalk was a pianist of supreme talent, imbuing his performances with emotional and sensual depth seldom heard in the concert halls. The musician writes flowingly and expressively of the varied cities and sights he encounters; his hectic schedule did not dim his appreciation for the aesthetics and beauty of the many locales he toured.

By all accounts a sensitive and kindly soul, the great musician was adored for his flamboyant nature as well as his formidable performing talents. Tragically Gottschalk's life was cut short by illness; a collapse from fever during a tour in Rio took him from the world at the age of only forty.

This book consists of both a short, introductory biography of the author, and a lengthier autobiography adapted from the diaries and writings Gottschalk kept on his many travels. Also appended are personal profiles written by popular enthusiasts and the press of the time, which include appraisals of his distinctive stage presence and political leanings.