The present book investigates the musical landscape of the Italian peninsula from the Risorgimento to the formation of the unitary State, focusing in particular on the relationship between music and national identity. The editor's aim has been to examine a number of significant aspects of the topic, including: great musical figures and popular music; Italian musical institutions of the mid-nineteenth century, and the relationship between artistic output and the historical, political and social dynamics which culminated in the unification of Italy. The authors featured are: Cristina Aguilar Hernandez, Angela Bellia, Raffaella Bianchi, Maria Birbili, Carmela Bongiovanni, Pinuccia Carrer, Anna Cicatiello, Basil Considine, Mariateresa Dellaborra, Federico Gon, Philip Gossett, Jehoash Hirshberg, Olga Jesurum, Marina Mayrhofer, Joseph E. Morgan, Fiamma Nicolodi, Renato Ricco, Victor Sanchez Sanchez, Chloe Valenti.