Roberto Strappafelci writes:

>The very remote idea of a "Bach vs.  Handel" debate gets on my nerves.
>Even as a joke.

I agree- the whole comparision game, lighthearted as it is, gets on my
nerves.  I forsee rankings not unlike rankings of football teams.  The
NY Times does this by computer, and it is all easy to see how composers
can be similarly ranked.  Criteria would be number of performances in that
week world wide, intensity of applause at those performances, and cd sales,
with special weight given to the number of cds of a particular composer
purchased by Don Satz in the 12 hours leading up to the ranking.  The
system will work until that terrible day when the computer votes for
itself.

Professor Bernard Chasan
Physics Department, Boston University