Ulvi replies to Kyle:

>>There are many people who could study a Mozart sonata or a Bach chorale
>>and then robotically compose something of similar quality, yet few people
>>would take them seriously when you could have the real McCoy.
>
>This kind of statement keeps getting made with amazing frequency.  What
>exactly makes you think that someone who writes music at a quality level
>similar to Bach will be ignored simply because he/she sounds like Bach?

I don't think that's quite it.  Certainly if you compose in Bach's style,
comparisons will inevitably arise, in a lot of cases not to Bach's
disadvantage.  However, I knew a medical resident who loved Bach's music
and composed in that style.  He wrote a trio sonata fully as good as any of
Bach's examples, in my opinion.  I wish someone would publish and record it.

Steve Schwartz