Hardly any other city in the world can boast such a rich musical tradition as Leipzig. With the orchestra of the Gewandhaus and the choir of St. Thomas, the city has been a home to ensembles of world-wide standing for centuries. Resident composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Richard Wagner dominated musical life in Europe. The Leipzig Conservatoire of Music was the first University of Music founded in Germany. Leipzig music publishing houses such as Breitkopf & Härtel, Friedrich Hofmeister and Edition Peters supplied professional musicians and music lovers on all continents with printed music. Leipzig instrument makers such as the piano firm Blüthner are foremost worldwide to the present day. The tour round the city brings the visitor to all the important places associated with music history in Leipzig, while at the same time drawing attention to numerous personalities in Leipzig¿s musical culture.