Story Lives Of Master Musicians

This is a biographical account of the lives of 25 of the world's best known classical composers. The book was written in 1922 so does not include modern composers. It's original intended readership was young music students, but the author herself acknowledges that it could appeal to a wider audience.

The World's Great Men of Music: Story-Lives of Master Musicians By Harriette Brower

An engaging introduction to 22 of the world's greatest musicians, highlighting their struggles and triumphs, beginning in boyhood and lasting until the end of their days. Much emphasis is placed on the ways they learned their craft, whether at a father's knee, by copying musical scores, or in company of great masters who had gone before. Their travels and greatest successes are recounted in detail, making the musicians and their works all the more memorable for the youthful reader.