Nick Perovich said in reply to me (apart from a lot other things)

>I find an inability to "get" Mozart, particularly when talking about the
>major masterpieces such as the later piano concerti, really interesting.
>I think these are staggeringly fine works, and it's the existence of such
>works that makes me suspicious of the common claims about "subjectivity"...

Remember I started out by saying that these were among the few works of
Mozart's I liked.

Remember, also, that until around 1941 (150th anniverary of M's death)
these works weren't considered good enough to be a major part of the
concert repertoire.  This fact alone indicates the importance of 'fashion'
in such matters.

Another point I'd like to make is that it IS possible to appreciate that a
piece of music is a great work of art but simply just not like the sound of
it.  Rachmaninov's vespers are an example.

It becomes ridiculous when a broadcaster on the UK radio station 'Radio 3'
recently felt they had to apologise for (like me) prefering Haydn to
Mozart.

>If the slow movement of  the A-major concerto, no. 23, is not a test of
>the sensitivity of the listener, then I'm sadly misguided.  But I don't
>think I am.  (I guess I'm not speaking moderately any more.  Time to get
>off the soapbox.)

Relax, if that's not speaking moderately then in joining this group
I've come to a very civilised place.

Bob Draper
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