What a polite group of list members!  I initiate this thread, say
outrageous things, disparage two world-class composers, poke fun at folks
who show their emotions readily, and all I get back are "nice" responses.

I have to confess that my posting was greatly "exaggerated", although
sprinkled with some very sincere words.  Yes, I do consider the music of
Liszt and Tchaikovsky emotionally excessive and without foundation FOR ME
and only me.  My wife hears a Bach cantata and calls it "the most pompous
and totally over-wrought music I ever heard." She is not hearing what I
hear.

Romantic - Liszt - Tchaikovsky - Emotions on the sleeve.  These are very
easy targets in this day and age.  Stirling was dead center concerning the
type of world we now live in.  Being a product of that world, I don't
consider it a "given" that it is worse than the previous era.

I do believe that we are what we listen to.  The emotions that I feel
strongly, coincide beautifully with the emotions inherent in Bach's music.
The emotions I do not feel strongly or feel "uncomfortable" with are the
emotions most displayed in Liszt's and Tchaikovsky's music; it's just not
a good match.

Don Satz
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