“The audience is intrigued early on in the play by a listing of thirty composers whose names begin with the letter B. The playwright, with just this one letter, evokes the whole broad scope of music, its variety, style and genius.”
      —Nina Robison

The Apprentice says:
      “When I was a student, I wanted to know everything. Everything! Not just “The Three Bs,” but why not thirty Bs? Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, of course, and Bach’s sons—(he rattles them all off)—But there are more...and I’ll think of them as we go along...”

      Following performances of MUSE of FIRE, Mr. Katz is often asked to supply the list of his Thirty Bs. Here they are, in order of appearance (country of origin and dates added):

Carl Philipp Emanuel (1714-1788), Germany
Wilhelm Friedmann (1710-1784,) Germany
Johann Christian (1735-1782), Germany

5. Barber, Samuel (1910-1981), Pennsylvania, USA
6. Babbitt, Milton (1916-), Pennsylvania, USA
7. Beach, Amy Cheney (1867-1944), New Hampshire, USA
8. Bernstein, Leonard (1918-1990), Massachusetts, USA
9. Berlin, Irving (1888-1989), Russia
10. Bax, Arnold (1883-1953), Great Britain
11. Bliss, Arthur (1891-1975), Great Britain
12. Bridge, Frank (1879-1941), Great Britain
13. Britten, Benjamin (1913-1976), Great Britain
14. Butterworth, George (1885-1916), Great Britain
15. Boyce, William (1711-1779), Great Britain
16. Byrd, William (1543-1623), Great Britain
17. Bellini, Vincenzo (1801-1835), Sicily
18. Boccherini, Luigi (1743-1805), Italy
19. Berg, Alban (1885-1935), Austria
20. Berlioz, Hector (1803-1869), France
21. Bizet, Georges (1838-1875), France
22. Borodin, Alexander (1833-1887), Russia
23. Bloch, Ernest (1880-1959), Switzerland
24. Blitzstein, Marc (1905-1964), Pennsylvania, USA
25. Bruckner, Anton (1824-1869), Austria
26. Buxtehude, Dieterich (1637-1707), Germany
27. Bassett, Leslie (1923-) California, USA
28. Birtwistle, Harrison (1934-) Great Britain
29. Bartok, Bela (1881-1945), Hungary
30. Bruch, Max (1838-1920), Germany

and later—
Balakirev, Mily (1837-1910) Russia
Boito, Arrigo (1842-1918), Italy
Busoni, Ferruccio (1866-1924), Italy

But not Boulez, Pierre (1925—) France.
Why not Boulez? That’s part of the play, and we wouldn’t
want to give it away. (with apologies to Mr. Sondheim).