Carl Van Vechten (1880 -1964) was an American writer and photographer who was a patron of the Harlem Renaissance and the literary executor of Gertrude Stein. He began work as the assistant music critic at the New York Times. Several books of his essays on music and literature were published between 1915 and 1920. Essays in this collection include In defence of bad taste -- Music and supermusic -- Edgar Saltus -- The new art of the singer -- Au bal musette -- Music and cooking -- An interrupted conversation -- The authoritative work on American music -- Old days and new -- Two young American playwrights Avery Hopwood and Philip Moeller] -- De senectute cantorum -- Impressions in the theater: The land of joy, A note on Mimi Aguglia, The new Isadora, Margaret Anglin produces As you like it -- The modern composers at a glance.