I always thought the great composers dabbled with great philosophical
issues in their art.  Now I however read in Donald Grout:  "A History of
Western Music" 5th Ed.  that the story about the Erlkoenig is not about
Classicism vs.  Romanticism at all; it is just simply concretely pedophily
in beutiful decoration ("Und bist Du nicht willig, so brauch ich gewalt").
The theory goes that these habits were very common in the lives of the
Romantic geniues, and in earlier centuries generally.  To confess the
belief in such a thesis and thereby so boldly risk his fine reputition is
rare among researchers of this rank.  It should by no means pass unnoted,
and I am sure it reveals a new truth about the man.

But of course there is never any such kind as a "philosophical" accord
(as little as there are anti-semitic accords in Wagner), and of course
we pick from the music what we want.  And the music is so stunningly
beutiful!!  Just a pity that so few sing it good enough to make justice
to the music.  Perhaps I was most struck by the NZ bass-baritone Donald
McIntyre's singing, although I tend to think his voice is a bit to squeeky
(for the pitch he locates to) in most of his repertoire.  But this was
really frank and convincing.

Mats Norrman
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