Music is, in one sense, merely a series of fleeting vibrations that
arise and subside. How could it be that something so insubstantial fills
us, and calms us, and makes us weep? Because, says W. A. Mathieu, music
bridges mind and heart, self and other, and affirms our place in the
world. Everyone uses the bridge of music, from casual listeners to
devoted professionals. Mathieu's delightful and trenchant prose asks you
to question what music is, how it works, and how to understand its value
in your life, in the life of your community, and in the evolution of the
cosmos.