Hector Berlioz (1803–1869) was one of the most original and colourful composers of his generation whose music in many ways was ahead of its time. He was also a highly-respected journalist and critic, producing monthly articles for the Journal des Débats for over thirty years as well as other writings including his posthumously-published autobiographical Mémoires. Unlike journalism, which he disliked, letter-writing was a task which he relished and at which he excelled, producing sometimes four or five in a day and more than 3,500 during his lifetime. The letters reflect the man - exuberant, imaginative, idealistic, opinionated and witty - and give us a fascinating, first hand, insight into his life. This two-volume selection includes some 300 examples, translated from the French by H. Mainwaring Dunstan.