This biography of the major English conductor Adrian Boult offers a searching account of his long and complex life. The author had access to Boult's private papers, letters and diaries to research this portrait which traces the composer's life from his school days through to his friendships with Elgar, Holst and Vaughan Williams. There are also lesser known and surprising aspects - his unpredictable temper, his distrust and dislike of Beecham and the mutual bitternesss between Boult and Britten. Michael Kennedy has been a music critic of the "Daily Telegraph" for over 35 years and has written biographical studies of Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Britten, Mahler, Strauss and Barbirolli and is editor of the "Oxford Dictionary of Music". He was awarded the OBE for services to music in 1981.