Music: A Joy for Life

‘Stick to it! Once you’ve mastered it, your music will be a joy for life,’ Sir Edward Heath’s father used to say to him when as a child he got sick to death of practising scales and arpeggios. His father was absolutely from his earliest involvement since the age of nine to his work today as a conductor of international renown, music has been Sir Edward’s lifetime’s passion. Through this musical autobiography, he hopes to enable people to share some of that joy for life that music can uniquely bring.
Sir Edward records his musical experiences from his days as a chorister in his parish church to his career as a conductor which began in 1971 when, while Prime Minister, he conducted the London Symphony Orchestra playing Elgar’s ‘Cockaigne’ Overture at its gala concert in the Royal Festival Hall – since when he has conducted many of the world’s greatest orchestras on a variety of continents. He describes and explains music as an art; writes about famous composers, performers and compositions; entertainingly describes what it is like to conduct an orchestra and his travels as a conductor; shares his appreciation of music from years of listening and concert-going; and recalls the many personalities of the musical world whom he has met.