The Faery Faith in British Music

The Faery Faith in British Music examines the influence of faery belief upon classical and rock music, primarily in Britain, since late Victorian times. It covers a wide range of subjects, from the evolution of traditional ballads into music hall, through Gilbert and Sullivan to classical composers during the twentieth century- musicians such as Arnold Bax, John Ireland and Rutland Boughton, all of whom were affected by supernatural themes.

The influence of faery belief on contemporary music, in the work of David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Led Zeppelin, Queen and many others is examined. A separate chapter then discusses the profound impact of Lord of the Rings and other books by J R R Tolkien on heavy metal; given the international popularity of these stories, the coverage of this chapter takes in bands from across the globe.

From tone poems to rock operas, there is no other book that attempts to provide such a comprehensive overview of how musical culture has been shaped by faery belief over the last 150 years.