A composer and musician, Burney started to think about writing this history of music while an organist in Norfolk. Honoured by Oxford University in 1769, his many successes did not distract from this main writing goal. The first volume, published in 1776, was immediately well received. His biggest successes may have been his children, however; his eldest daughter was a harpsichord child prodigy, one son became a distinguished officer in the Royal Navy, another son was a well-known clergyman, and a daughter became the famous author Madame D'Arblay.
