Josh Howe:

>This is a great article I just came across (I believe it's an old article)
>that seems relevant to this discussion: [URL supplied]

I think everyone following this thread should read this provocative,
impassioned statement.  I was especially struck by these two statements:

Classical music: Why bother?

>I would venture to say that there have probably been more
>masterpieces created during the past 20 years than there were
>in the last 20 years of the 19th century (an easy bet, since the
>population is so much bigger now).  We just haven't finished
>sorting the gems from the garbage yet. ...
>
>But when the so-called authorities themselves buy in to the idea
>that nothing is intrinsically worth more than anything else,
>they become a negative force.  They're no longer trying to find
>great works and expose them to the public; they're just hoping
>to impose their tastes, promote their political or social agenda,
>or simply get rich and famous.

Jim Tobin