"An excellent piece of writing, exhibiting splendid communicative sensitivity and command of language, and fully representative of the remarkable mind of the author. . . . A book any musician, or any serious student or concertgoer, will find stimulating, provocative and instructive." -- Robert C. Marsh, Chicago Sun-Times "Wise, detailed and valuable book. . . . Should become a set text for all performing artists. -- Andrew Porter, The New Yorker "Throughout the book, Leinsdorf displays his knowledge and wisdom with a near total lack of pretense or vanity. This work must be considered one of the most significant books on conducting ever written, ranking in importance with those of Wagner and Weingartner. Its scope, however, suggests that it should be read not only by conductors but by every practicing musician." -- Robert Johnson, Music Library Association Notes "Concise, witty and rewarding. . . . That Maestro Leinsdorf is an extraordinarily astute and sensitive musician is evident on every page of The Composer's Advocate. Musicians will find his insights profound and his ideas compelling." -- Hugh Wolff, Washington Post Book World "Leinsdorf's book will be of interest to anyone curious about how music is translated from the printed page into sound." -- Harry Haskell, The Kansas City Star