This book presents the musician in dialog with a Polish-Canadian musicologist and three of his Dutch friends and collaborators, Reinbert de Leeuw, Elmer Schönberger and Frits van der Waa. Topics include his artistic evolution, his relationship to minimalism, his prevalent interest in mysticism and meaning, the use of quotation and writing for the stage and an introduction to his musical language. Four interviews with the editor outline Andriessen's compositional career and interests. Five essays by Maja Trochimczyk focus on various aspects of his music, including minimalism and the operas Hadewijch from De Materie and Writing to Vermeer.