Greg Conn:

>Wasn't J.S.  Bach largely self-taught and untrained though? I can think of
>other examples also which show that, in some instances, such "training" is
>in fact not necessary to some persons who are extremely musically "gifted"
>with the ability to compose.

Self-taught doesn't means "untrained".  Bach was trained in music as
any other craftsman in his times, and by the same method: studying the
works of ancient masters.  Whether he was taught more by teachers than
by books is not an important matter: the fact is that he *had* to learn
counterpoint in some way (remember that he didn't invented it...).  A
man can be extremely gifted with the ability to compose but he must have
training in it, if he wants something more than the appaluse of his deaf
aunt.  Of course, he can get his PhD in Composition, and later, get only
the applause of his deaf aunt, but that's another story.

Pablo Massa
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