Well, my note about Adorno's views on artistic responsibilities certainly
touched some nerves.  I don't know if I fully agree with it, but as stated
in Steiner's talk, it certainly jolted me, as did Steiner's anecdote of
finding, in Adorno's score of the Beethoven Ninth, right above the words
"seid umschlungen millionen" a pencilled word - "Hitler" i.e., the notion
of universal brotherhood as an extension of "ein Reich, ein Volk."
Universal brotherhood can be tainted with universal conformity.  Again, I'm
not advocating Adorno's position - I think it gives us pause.  I like such
contrary views because they stop me from rushing headlong down the path of
certainty.

And finally, I don't hold Wagner "responsible" for the Nazis, but his
views and his writings certainly lent themselves for use by them, in a
way that Beethoven and Mozart did not.

As Walter Meyer says, we'll never resolve this issue here -- and I doubt if
it is resolvable.  We all have to make up our own minds.  (Life of Brian:
"Yes, but tell us how!")

Maybe Hans Sachs has the last words: Wahn, wahn..."

Eric Kisch