Donald Satz wrote:

>Mozart seems to be getting dumped on more than any other composer,
>although Beethoven is taking his usual licks concerning the magnificent
>Choral Symphony.  Even Bach's Orchestral Suites are being criticized.  I
>do hope you folks are enjoying yourself, trashing some of the most loved
>classical musical compositions ever written; I say this with some degree of
>humor on my mind, because it is a humorous situation.  We get coming at us
>from all directions some of the worst crap music that's ever been composed,
>much of it from movie and pop hacks, and we seem to want to downgrade some
>great music.  Let's go after the junk!  Why be critical of filet mignon and
>rib-eye when there are giant slabs of old chuck steak smelling up the
>place?

For me much of this thread has to do with my question regarding the notion
of "masterpiece."

While I certainly agree with much of what Donald writes, I would wonder,
what do we see as the criteria for the evaluation of piece of music...
assuming there is a need to evaluate.

Is it how convincing the musical arguement is...is it consistency of
style and gesture...is it proportion...is it effective scoring
(instrumentation)...

What criteria are subjective, and what are objective? Are any of the
criteria objective? and if so, what norms of excellence are they being
compared?

Karl