William J. Karzas responds to me thus:

>Bob Draper finds the story behind Verklarte Nacht sick, wtiying:
>
>>I find this story sick!  In fact, I liked the music until I heard the
>>story.
>
>His more than a suggestion is that he can no longer like the music because
>it grows out of a, to him, "sick" story.
>
>What a pack of rot!  I am offended by being subjected to Bob Draper's
>idiosyncratic - and non-musically-related - personal reactions.

Actually I rethought this after writing it as I expected a response.
I still do like the music.  But the story hangs like a shadow over my
enjoyment when listening to it.

Surely a tone poem is supposed to a composer's impression of a particular
story.  So I see no conflict of interest in having my own personal
impression.  If you go to any kind of performance you will find people
react in different ways to the same plot.  Some laugh some cry.

Any impression is a personal thing and is therefore of itself
indiosychratic.

I stand by my original comments on the story.  In my view few men would
react in such a way when confronted with this situation.

I am surprised that you are so easily offended.

Bob Draper
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