This book investigates the cognitive mechanisms that allow human listeners to organize, interpret, and remember auditory events within the complex structures of pitch and rhythm. Carol L. Krumhansl, a prominent researcher in music cognition, synthesizes over a decade of empirical studies to bridge the gap between psychological perception and the formal internal structure of musical compositions. By integrating experimental methodology with music theory, the author constructs a framework that explains how listeners derive meaning from musical sequences beyond simple sensory input.

Experts in the fields of cognitive psychology and musicology recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the intersection of auditory perception and musical structure. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous, evidence-based approach to the study of music cognition.