This article is abstracted from the author's forthcoming book, "Debussy: The Crisis of Tonality," wherein Claude Debussy's influence on the mainstream composers of the first half of the twentieth century is discussed. (KC)

Examining the avant garde trend in twentieth century music, the author criticizes those he calls the "radical fringe" for leading music into bankruptcy through a total rejection of tradition. He speculates on the future of music. (SJL)