Berg is one of the most influential figures of 20th-century music, and perhaps the most approachable of those who composed under Schoenberg's influence. These essays originate from a conference on his life and music held in 1985 - his centenary - at the University of Chicago.

Alban Berg is one of the most influential figures of twentieth-century music by virtue of his association with the establishment of Schoenberg's twelve-note method of composition. It is, however, the emotional content of such works as the Violin Concerto which has awoken a ready response in his listeners and has caused him to be considered the most approachable of those who composed under Schoenberg's influence. This volume of essays had its origins in an international conference on his life and music held in 1985, the centenary of his birth, at the University of Chicago. The list of contributors, which extends beyond those who spoke at the conference, embraces a substantial number of leading American and British scholars.