What is music, and what does it mean to humans? How do we process it, and how do we create it? Musician Leo Samama discusses these and many other questions while shaping a vibrant picture of music's importance in human lives both past and present.

1. By way of a forewordPart A2. Looking over Franz Schubert's shoulder3. What is music?4. Where does music come from?5. Music as imitation6. Music as languagePart B7. Bach: Prelude in C major8. Music and communication9. Music as notation10. Music as a temporal art11. Music and emotion12. On depth and elevationPart C13. Beethoven: the Fifth14. Classical music15. Hearing, listening and remembering16. On composingPart D17. Dvoøák and the Bohemian overcoat18. A memorable moment19. The conductor20. The performing artistPart E21. Lully: the King is dancing22. As the ancients sang23. The history of the history of music24. By way of an epilogue: music nowFurther ReadingIndex of namesAbout the author