[log in to unmask] writes:

>For me this explains the apparent prodigy of composers like
>Mozart/Mendellsohn and 10 year old "genius" mathematicians.  What these
>people have in common is not superior genes.  They have superior social
>advantage.  Hence we find most doctors are sons of doctors because that's
>all they know.

I understand that in Mozart's day children of affluent society were
brought in music education, taught to play instruments so they were well
versed in musical language.  But this can never explain Mozart.  The
literature suggest that many child prodigies are not explain by environment
alone, and succeed when both parents are do not share or influence the
child in his or her efforts.  With the way science is progressing it looks
more than ever that "smart genes" are involved, but most reasonable people
assume given our limited knowledge, that we are a product of our genes and
environment.  In essence, they are one thing and not separate from each
other.

Point I'm making is this:  it does not explain the inner workings of the
mind of Mozart.  Otherwise, it would appear there should be many Mozart's
from his generation, dozens of talented geniuses harvested to perfection
by proud parents.  In reading about cases of idiot savants, they showed
abilities far beyond the scope of normal learning and could demonstrate
feats not explain able in logical terms.  Of course they have mental
deficiencies that keep them from being "normal" and so they tend to be
"obsessed" with their abilities.  As such, they practice constantly,
getting praised to keep up the good work.

I never said that Mozart WAS an idiot savant as he did not have
mental deficiencies as such, but he seem to show a mind that exhibited
characteristics similar to the feats shown by the savants in the
literature.  I am not interested in comparison of composers of who wrote
the best music as it is a deeply private feeling for me.  My mind changes
every day, not the same person 10 years ago, will not be the same 10 years
from now, so how can I make a judgment on my tastes to stay consistent in
my opinions? I just think that Mozart was a different kind of genius, one
of a kind of that type--rare to see.  On the other hand, all that hard work
the genius Beethoven put in, to perfect, to struggle to get it right, small
wonder his music has the stature it has today.  Haydn, I am constantly
amazed how good all his symphonies-100+ are, that he wrote so much of
everything, most of it work related, no surprise there about Haydn the
genius.

It is still a mystery to me, but that is OK; I accept it as such.

Glenn