In Stoppard’s dramas, music is a powerfully theatrical presence. The references to musicians and music culture in Stoppard’s dramas contain the significance of that music within the context of his larger discussions and themes. When that music is performed or broadcast on stage as part of the play’s production, it also has the potential to claim an independence that, conforms to Stoppard’s own advocacy of musical appreciation as an essentially visceral, intuitive, and individual response.