Lindeman, a musicologist, traces and defines the historical development of the concerto form as it passed from Mozart to succeeding generations. He then assesses Beethoven's contributions, and examines the classical model of the form in the early 19th century by overviewing several early romantic composers' works. Subsequent chapters analyze and assess the responses of five precursers of Schumann, whose work offers a synthesis of radical experiments and traditional tenets. He concludes by suggesting that concertos of Lizst offer a road into further developments of the genre in the second half of the century. Illustrated with b&w portraits of composers and excerpts from musical scores. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)