Ed Zubrow writes:

>But I think we should not forget that musical merit is derived from a
>composer's creative effort to speak to the historical and social issues
>of existence in his/her time.

I have been reading Peter Kivy's "Only Music".  You seem to be saying that
music that does not "speak to the historical and social issues" of his/her
time (and Kivy would argue that much of the greatest music is such) is
without merit?

len.