Abstract: Chapter 11 is about descriptions, particularly figurative ones, and their relevance to, the understanding and interpretation of music. Drawing on certain common descriptions by musicians and critics, Sibley questions the coherence of certain purist positions and of the notion of understanding or experiencing ‘in purely musical terms’. He further explores the possibility that an important element in the proper interpretation of music is covertly extra-musical, and argues that extra-musical phenomena are not merely peripheral except to programme music.

Keywords: descriptions, Frank Sibley, interpretation, music,