The Madman's Orchestra
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Simon & Schuster Ltd
Published:23rd Oct '25
Should be back in stock very soon
'One of the most brilliantly illustrated and totally compelling books about music ever put together' – Tom Service, BBC Radio 3
From the bestselling author and former BBC QI Elf comes a fascinating and beautifully illustrated journey through the entire history of music.
In The Madman’s Orchestra, join Edward Brooke-Hitching as he lifts the curtain on the strangest episodes from the entire history of music, taking us on a backstage tour of surprising and eccentric stories.
From the musical secrets of prehistoric monuments to the future of compositions by artificial intelligence, The Madman’s Orchestra uncovers the most curious tales, madcap musicians, and unusual instruments lost in time – and answers questions including:
- Which composition requires four helicopters and a string quartet with strong stomachs to play it correctly?
- When should you feed your piano hay?
- What does the 'cat organ' sound like, and is it any more pleasing to the ear than the 'hog harmonium'?
Discover the code-writing of musical cryptography, the beauty of Renaissance eye music, musical hoaxes, lost masterpieces, fire organs and witches flutes, compositions by the Devil, the woman who invented the 'visible voice', and the symphony designed to bring about the Apocalypse.
Fascinating, funny, and at times barely believable, the abundantly illustrated The Madman’s Orchestra is a unique compendium brimming with entertaining facts, stories and playlists of obscure music that will thrill and delight every music lover.
‘As well as being maybe the single best illustrated book about music that I know, this is a mind-expanding and brain-boggling read that deserves its place as one of the most fascinating and the most rational histories of music you can find’ -- Tom Service * BBC History Magazine *
'This beautifully illustrated and lavish book is a feast for the eyes and for the mind… Many of the curiosities in this collection of musical confectionery are visual as much as literary. You can dip in anywhere for a diverting or even bonkers fact that will make entertaining conversation at any dinner party’ * Church Times *
'This is a fascinating compendium of classical curiosities, thoroughly researched and charmingly written by Edward Brooke-Hitching, which perhaps is no surprise given his work as a scriptwriter and factfinder for BBC’s QI. He’s clearly poured great care into this book, filling it with a sense of boundless discovery. There’s a wonderfully generous selection of images [...] All in all, a delight.' -- Rebecca Franks * BBC History Magazine *
‘Brooke-Hitching’s writing is both fascinating and funny, making even the most obscure musical oddities utterly compelling’ * This England magazine *
'One of the most brilliantly illustrated and totally compelling books about music ever put together. A symphony of the weird and wonderful. On every page there are revelations and a tumult of jaw-dropping images. Edward’s book is a fantastic thing to look at, a cornucopia of discoveries' -- Tom Service, BBC Radio 3
ISBN: 9781398532403
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
256 pages