In his book Schuller, one of America's leading contemporary composers, conductors, and musicologists, first puts forth his principles of conducting, and then analyses in detail several classical masterpieces, comparing the composers' original notation trends and an incisive study of the dialogue between composition and performance, this is a controversial testimony.

In world renowned conductor and composer Gunther Schuller's highly provocative critique of modern conducting, he castigates many of this century's most venerates conductors for using the podium to indulge their own interpretive idiosyncrasies, rather than devote themselves to reproducing the composer's stated intentions. 937 music examples. 35 tables.

[Schuller's] analyses should be read by all serious conductors, for they contain insights that the ordinary listener does not consider but that, if followed, will help truly realize a composer's work.