“John Potter . . . ranges across centuries and styles in Song: A History in 12 Parts. . . . He doesn’t absolutely insist on a performance and an audience for a song to be a song, but he clearly prefers both.”—Eric Felten, Wall Street Journal

“John Potter’s timely and ecumenical meditation on 12 songs explores the enigmatic nature of what constitutes a song, why songs continue to be important, and perhaps how or whether they can survive as a uniquely human undertaking.”—Sting

“Erudite, witty, rewardingly provocative and absorbing—this book got me revisiting the songs I used to sing and rushing to seek out the ones I didn’t know.”—Catherine Bott, singer and broadcaster

“A richly fascinating take on the enduring power and shape-shifting form of the art song, told with authority and wit by the uniquely qualified John Potter.”—Kerry Andrew, composer, performer, and author

“John Potter’s wide-ranging experience across many styles of vocal music ensures an entertaining and original view.”—John Surman, saxophonist and composer

“The mix of skill, erudition, and imagination that has distinguished John Potter’s recordings with the Dowland Project and the Hilliard Ensemble finds its echo in these wide-ranging texts on the history of song. Whether writing about the innovations of Josquin Desprez, the playful songs of Erik Satie, or Berio’s experimental settings of James Joyce, Potter’s perspective is always a fresh one.”—Manfred Eicher, founder of ECM Records