Donald Satz wrote:

>Would you be able to project all possible uses that your writings could be
>used for by future generations? I sure couldn't - I don't have an effective
>crystal ball.

Agreed, but what if we interpret Adorno's view as saying, "part of your
responsibility as an artist is to see that your work can't be used by
tyrants and demogogues as weapons against humanity." The worry about our
words being kept in the Archives and used against us for what we said
is therefore less threatening/worrisome that the thought that our words
could be turned against us into the opposite of what we meant by being
appropriated by our enemies.  I would hate (yes, that strong!) to find that
someone like Jesse Helms has appropriated a criticism of mine as proving
the worth of his position about some social policy.

We are all in danger of having our words twisted against us.  See what
happens to off-hand remarks in Kramer vs. Kramer, when twisted in a bitter
divorce case.  See what can happen in translation:  Churchill called Hitler
a "blood-stained guttersnipe," which the Nazis translated as "warrier son
of the people." As Audrey Hepburn said in "Sabrina," "It's all in the
wrist, you know."

But to more important music matters:  How can I get that darned tune known
as the Russian Sailors' Dance from Gliere's Red Poppy Ballet out of my
head, where it is buzzing for days now.  I recalled Raymond Lewenthal's
variations/fantasy on this from the 1970 Internetional Piano Benefit
Concert and now am pursued by this demon.  Dum dum da-da-da, da da da da
dum dum.  Aargh!

Eric Kisch <[log in to unmask]>