When Nikolaus Harnoncourt titles his collection of essays, lectures, and talks "Music as Sound Speech," he is committed to the revival of eloquent music-making, for which he has been a pioneering force with his ensemble "Concentus musicus" since 1953. Harnoncourt takes a critical stance towards contemporary musical life: he sees it as an elaborate ornament that distracts from the cultural emptiness of life. In contrast, he advocates for a return to understanding listening, where interpreters and listeners together strive to make the many languages and styles of music from past centuries accessible again. However, he does not prescribe a nostalgic look back at "original" Baroque playing with "historical" instruments: Harnoncourt has often been misunderstood in this regard. Rather, he engages with Early Music, its playing style, and its instruments to gain insights for today's musical practice. In this book, Nikolaus Harnoncourt explains the fundamental principles of his musical practice that have made him famous throughout the music world. His aim is not a museum-like interpretation of Early Music, but a modern interpretation of the masterpieces of the past, whose impulses can place our listening habits on new foundations.