A collection of critical essays examines major composers and musical ideas, assessing Berlioz's contested reputation, the representation of Faust in music, and the theory and practice of programme music. It explores theories about the origins of music, the interplay between literature and the operatic stage with attention to Symbolist influence, and the changing aesthetics embodied in Richard Strauss, while an appendix considers Wagner, Liszt, and contemporary polemics. The pieces, revised from earlier periodical publications, combine historical context, aesthetic argument, and close score readings to trace technical methods, psychological intent, and public responses to composers and artistic trends.