Duringlockdown, Lyell Cresswell wrote this far from conventional autobiography. Each chapter begins with an increasingly fanciful– and very colourful – account of an exciting life. Under the cover of thisplayful narrative, he smuggles in deeply considered ideas about music,and about what it means to be a composer – a person who is bothphilosopher and storyteller. These ideas are accompanied by beautifuland exuberant pen and ink drawings – some for graphic scores, others forhis own pleasure. Hesays, ‘When we look at art, we look for something deep and private. Ifwe find what we’re looking for we realise that no attempt to put it intowords is adequate.’ His music was like the man himself: emotional,uncompromising, richly textured, often quite noisy – and wonderful. (History/Musical)