David Schiff is a composer, conductor, and writer. He was educated at Columbia and Cambridge Universities, at the Manhattan School of Music and at the Juilliard School where he studied with Elliott Carter for three years. In addition to the two editions of his Music of Elliott Carter, he has written books about the music of George Gershwin and Duke Ellington, and numerous articles about music for The New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly, the Times Literary Supplement, and The Nation.

• Author's noteAcknowledgements 1. Elliott Carter Now 2. Remembering Mr. Carter 3. A brief life of a very long life 4. A Modernistic Education (1924-1935) 5. Musician, wrestling (1935-1945) 6. Turning Points (1946-1948) 7. Back to Modernism. Back to Futurism. Back to New York a. Neo-modernism b. An avant-garde composer? c. Composer in New York 8. Carter v. Poets (round 1) 9. Macro Carter/ Micro Carter 10. Multi-vehicle Accidents 11. Bagatelles 12. Carter v. Poets (round 2) 13. Farewell Symphonies 14. Epilogue: "Every note has life in it." Appendix: Carter's Musical Signatures Calendars: 1. Chronology of Carter's life 2. Chronological list of Carter's published music 3. Chronology of American composers 4. Chronology of notable premiers of American classical music Personalia Bibliography

Schiff discusses works Carter composed from about 1945 onward, offering contextualizing information, personal anecdotes, and views into Carter's compositional methods. This makes for an absorbing, sometimes amusing portrait of the US's most prolific contemporary composer. Schiff's useful scholarly apparatus includes a time line of Carter's life and compositions, dramatis personae of important people in Carter's circle, and a thorough bibliography.