In this book, Aaron Copland provides an introduction to the formative ideas of our century, and a survey of recent and current trends. He shows first of all how contemporary music grew naturally out of the work of such masters as Mussorgsky and Debussy, through Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Bartók, Hindemith, to the work Of younger Americans and others.

Then the author discusses individually certain leading composers of Europe and America. A special section is devoted to six outstanding Americans, together with a discussion of Carlos Chávez and a review of certain aspects of Mr. Copland’s own career as a composer. The closing section deals with developments in new musical media—serialism, “chance” music, and electronic music.

The book is based on an earlier work by Mr. Copland, Our New Music. The author has added new material, bringing each subject up to date and discussing important changes that have taken place. Schoenberg, Bartók, Hindemith, and other composers are seen from a new vantage point. Dodecaphonic developments are discussed. The famous autobiographical essay, “Composer from Brooklyn,” has been brought up to date. The result is a brilliant panorama of twentieth-century music.