Eric Coates is perhaps the most familiar name associated with British light music. Coates won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, and from 1912 to 1919 he was principal viola of the Queen's Hall Orchestra under Sir Henry Wood. This title traces the changing fortunes of the career of the man who composed some of Britain's best-known music. 'A thoroughly enjoyable, and meticulously researched, book.' Journal into Melody 'At last, here is a scholarly biography of a person widely regarded as the leading figure in British light music... There is some diligent research into Coates' dealings with the BBC. In fact, the book as a whole contains a wealth of admirably detailed and informative footnotes. Michael Payne makes a strong case for Coates' pre-eminence in the field of light music, carefully helping the reader to recognize the high standards Coates achieved in his compositions... The author has done excellent service to the cause of British light music by this research, and his book will be valued as much by those who take light music lightly as those who take it seriously.' North American British Music Studies Association Newsletter