This is the first documented biography of George Bridgetower (1778-1860), a violinist and composer of color (born of a Polish mother and a West Indies Abyssinian father) who performed in the Royal Courts of Europe. Panton (music, U. of Minnesota) describes Bridgetower's musical training and performances, as well as his relationship with such figures as Franz Joseph Haydn and Ludwig Beethoven, after first situating his life in the context of the changing images of blacks in 18th century Europe. A series of appendixes present documentary material from Bridgetower's musical career. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)