This work investigates how meter functions not as a static, mechanistic grid, but as a dynamic, evolving process of musical rhythm. Christopher Hasty, a scholar in music theory, synthesizes the process philosophies of Bergson, James, and Whitehead to challenge traditional views of musical structure. By reframing meter as a visceral agent of expression, he provides a framework that reconciles the tension between deterministic laws and creative freedom in musical performance and composition.

Scholars and music theorists frequently cite this text as a foundational contribution to the study of musical time and process philosophy. Readers often note the high level of academic density in the prose, which requires a strong background in both music theory and philosophical discourse.