This work investigates the ontological and aesthetic status of musical performance, challenging traditional assumptions about the role of the performer versus the composer. Stan Godlovitch, a scholar in the field of aesthetics, utilizes a rigorous analytical framework to dissect the act of music-making. He argues that performance is not merely a secondary reproduction of a score but a distinct creative act that warrants its own philosophical inquiry. The text examines the historical evolution of performance norms and proposes a new taxonomy for understanding the relationship between the performer, the work, and the audience.

Experts in the philosophy of music recognize this text as a significant contribution to the field of aesthetics. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for advanced students and scholars of musicology.