The Toccata Press catalogue can boast a number of outstanding writers; one of the most distinguished, David Cairns, celebrates his 100th birthday today, 8 June 2026. We are proud to have published his Discovering Berlioz, an anthology of his writings on the composer with whom he is most closely associated, in 2019. To mark today’s auspicious occasion, we are pleased to be able to offer Discovering Berlioz at half-price: a mere £19.50 for 400 pages of some of the best writing on music you’ll come across.
Reviewing the book for MusicWeb International, John Quinn wrote:
It’s a long time since I enjoyed a book about music so much. David Cairns knows his subject backwards yet his writings are never weighed down by misapplied excessive scholarship. The scholarship is there for all to see but it’s worn lightly; he is one of those authors whom one instinctively trusts to be right. Even after more than sixty years of writing about the music of Hector Berlioz it’s evident that while his knowledge and wisdom have deepened over the years his enthusiasm for his subject has remained absolutely constant.
This generously filled volume is an indispensable treasure trove for Berlioz enthusiasts. […] The book is beautifully presented. The layout of the text is ideally clear and there are copious illustrations, all of which are relevant and enhance the text.
To obtain a copy, click here to be taken to the website of Boydell & Brewer, our distributors, where you can order it online. This offer will remain open for six months.
In the meantime, we are working on Household Gods, a second volume of David’s writing on music – 100+ articles from six decades as one of Britain’s most perceptive critics.
And for the moment, Happy Birthday, David!
