Steve Schwartz replied to me:

>The parallel fifths or octaves are objective.  The assertion that their
>presence marks a badly-written piece is not.  Bach has parallel fifths
>and octaves in fugal texture (works supplied on request).  It usually
>startles you when you hear it, but so far I've not heard anyone try to
>argue that the works in which they appear are badly written.

Of course I could change your opinion by saying it now.:) Seriously, in
the Bach works where I encountered this (which isn't many) I do find it
"badly written".  But I'm aware, it is a stricly personal opinion.

Speaking of parallel octaves:

>Who forbids them? Why? I could surmise why, but I'm amazed In This Day
>and Age that anyone takes such strictures seriously, especially real,
>honest-to-gosh working composers, and not just modern composers, either.

I quite agree here, even though I find it sad.  Nonetheless, it wasn't
quite my point.  That a rule isn't obeyed by modern composers doesn't
mean it doesn't exist.

Jan