In one essay, Steinberg remembers crouching behind a movie theater as a child, falling in love with music as Fantasia played within. In others the authors consider music ranging from Mozart and Brahms to film music of Hollywood's Golden Age to contemporary works responding to AIDS and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Michael Steinberg's previous books include Choral Masterworks: A Listener's Guide, The Symphony: A Listener's Guide, and The Concerto: A Listener's Guide. Larry Rothe is the co-author of American Mavericks: Musical Visionaries, Pioneers, Iconoclasts, a book accompanying the San Francisco Symphony's concert series.