This volume brings together a series of essays on music making in Poland in the 19th century and early 20th century. Eight studies of diverse aspects of Polish musical culture are presented chronologically from about 1818 to 1939, the outbreak of World War II. Authors, based in Poland, Germany and the U.S. include eminent scholars specializing in Polish music of the 19th and 20th centuries: Magdalena Dziadek, Maria Zduniak, Martina Homma, Krzysztof Rottermund, Krzysztof Szatrawski, and the editor.

The book begins with an account of the social roles and careers of women composers (Chapter 1 by Maja Trochimczyk). Three chapters present detailed studies of lives of violin virtuosi, Karol Lipinski (1790-1861; Chapter 2 on Lipinski in Wroclaw by Maria Zduniak and Chapter 3 on Lipinski volins by Krzysztof Rottermund) and Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880; Chapter 4 on Wieniawski, Joachim and virtuosity, by Martina Homma). Chapters 5 and 6, both by Magdalena Dziadek, present a critical analysis of the scope of interests of Polish music critics, especially pertaining to Wagner (Chapter 5) and ways of portraying composers (Chopin, Paderewski, and others; Chapter 6). Chapter 7 by Maja Trochimczyk includes a re-evaluation of the roles of Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941) and Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937) as Poland's 'national composers' in the context of their interests in the folklore of Podhale and Tatra Mountains. The volume ends with a re-introduction of Feliks Nowowiejski (1877-1946) as an unjustly forgotten late romantic (Chapter 8 by Krzysztof Szatrawski).

The book includes 4 musical examples and 50 illustrations, including a series of 19th century postcards and popular art from the private collection of Maja Trochimczyk.