The title, as well as a great deal of the body of this extraordinary book, makes the point that modern music has, or perhaps at bottom is, a language. To a casual reader this may seem plausible enough, but not only is it an uncommon view, it has not before been urged with such brilliance and insight...A classic in the field not only of musicology but of cultural studies."--From the Introduction, by Edward W. Said

Mitchell's argument is based on a consideration of the twin giants of the first half of the century, Schoenberg and Stravinsky, exploring the concept of modernism as expounded in the music of these composers in realation to corresponding developments in literature and visual arts.

First published over 35 years ago, The Language of Modern Music has been in print almost continuously and translated into many languages. It stands today as a crucial document that still proves relevant to the musical scene in the twenty-first century.