One of contemporary music's most significant and controversial figures, Brian Ferneyhough's complex and challenging music draws inspiration from painting, literature and philosophy, as well as music from the recent and distant past. His dense, multi-layered compositions intrigue musicians while pushing performer and instrument to the limits of their abilities. A wide-ranging survey of his life and work to date, Brian Ferneyhough examines the critical issues fundamental to understanding the composer as both musician and thinker. Debuting in celebration of Ferneyhough's 70th birthday in 2013, this book balances critical analysis of the music and close scrutiny of its aesthetic and philosophical contexts, making possible a more rounded view of the composer than has been available hitherto.