Mike Leghorn responds to me:

>>And I really cant believe that Strausss music, so often vain and
>>self-centered, could really give comfort.
>
>What's the issue here?  Strauss' music, or his personality.

Cant be seperated as far as I am concerned.

>So far, I've seen a lot of judging of his artistic merit based on his
>personality, but here there's judgment of the personality based on the
>music.  Poor Strauss is getting it both ways!

Oh, he is so popular that he will survive it.

>Oh, and how can music be vain or self-centered?

Listen to Liszt and youll know it.

Robert