Bill Pirkle wrote:

>For me, I want it to take me away but in an organized way.  For me, the
>themes must be clearly recognizable, and I must hear something that I've
>heard before so that the composition folds back on itself and takes on a
>structure.  I do not like to have to search for this as I am not intending
>to make a study of it as if the composer and I are playing "hide and go
>seek" or he is giving me a puzzle to solve.  ...

Is it obvious to your mind when Bach might be inverting a melody? It isn't
often to my mind, unless I have some familiarity with the work.  I don't
believe one ever has to study a score, however, doing so can give one a
different perspective on a piece of music.  But for me, there can be many
"points" to a piece of music.

Karl