Betrachtungen zur Musik

Remarks on music run throughout Wittgenstein's entire work. The experience of listening to a melody and the impossibility of describing its impression occupied the philosopher in his endless attempts to clarify the nature of understanding and meaning. Whether the change of a key is comparable to a change in facial expression, or whether music communicates anything at all—through the backdoor of philosophical inquiry, Wittgenstein gets to the essence of its linguistic character.

The composer Walter Zimmermann has thematically organized the notes and created a musical Wittgenstein ABC from keywords such as "song," "gramophone," "harmony," to "silence," "theme," and "tones." This inspiring and highly original book is essential for anyone still puzzled about why it is so difficult to articulate musical impressions, while playing is entirely clear and straightforward.