Mike Leghorn:

>>Now, as to which hearers are best able to judge the prospective
>>immortality of a particular work (assuming immortality is a signal aspect
>>of greatness), we could get into a fine debate, perhaps involving Charles
>>Rosen's concepts of elitism.

Could someone perhaps give an overview of Rosen's concept or give a source;
where did Rosen elborate on elitism?

Jeff Dunn's reply:

>As I've hinted before in this list, good writing skills and/or good
>education don't necessarily translate into good music listening "skills".

Goethe would be a good example for that.  But then, he was no music critic
either.

>My impression of music critics is that they know how to quickly form
>opinions and elaborate on them.

But isn't that very central to the business of a music critic? Especially
in concert, the music is gone the very moment you hear it.  While you can
look at any work of the depicting arts more or less eternally before you
form an opinion you have to hurry with music.  For a concert review,
there's no chance to think twice, the opinion has to be there right the
moment you listen.

>Opinions can sometimes get in the way of listening -- i.e.  it's hard to
>listen (to music, or anything else) when you already have an opinion.

I agree.  But that is IMO inherent to the being of a music critic, as
outlined above.  You can't form an opinion at the end of a concert for a
decent review, and yet you can't appreciate it in its entirety when you
have the opinion formed early.  Somehow, you have to find the middle way;
which as usual is a tricky business.

Jan