Mitch Friedfeld wrote:

>The ideas of "predictable," "inevitable," and "surprising" are
>illustrated beautifully in Ben Zander's lecture disc accompanying his
>Mahler 6th.  Zander shows how the opening theme of the Andante would be
>handled by an unexceptional composer, and what it becomes after Mahler
>gets his hands on it.  Predictable in the sense that it ends in the key
>you expect it to, but via a very surprising route.  Inevitably.

There's a scene in *Amadeus* a play or movie that some here have seemed
only to consider w/ contempt, where the young Mozart is welcomed to
court w/ a pretty little tune written by Salieri.  Not being a scholar
in these, or other matters, I can't vouch for the scene's authenticity.
But in it, Mozart, not spending any time on more than routine courtesy
shows how a few changes on what was a pleasing but banal little ditty
could become "Non piu andrai" from Figaro.

Incidentally, I've heard the *bon mot* characterizing genius that has
been suggested here in various versions as "making the unexpected appear
inevitable".

Walter Meyer