Ives`s second piano sonata, Concord, Mass., 1845, stands among the masterpieces of American music. The Essays Before a Sonata was conceived by Ives as a preface of sorts to the composition. Ives`s musings also explore the nature of music, discuss the source of a composer`s impulses and inspiration, and offer some biting comments on celebrated masters. The writings in this collection-now featuring a comprehensive index-allow readers entry into the brilliant mind that produced some of America`s most innovative musical works.