Juozas Rimas issues a missive from the clarification department:

>In the part of the Dicterow's interview I quoted, this absurd "ladder"
>is present, although in an opposite way: the renowned classical musician
>seems to feel uncomfortable that he is so tightly connected with classical
>music.  He is trying to assure the readers of the article that they
>shouldn't think of him as an old fashioned person, a snob, an
>"old-stick-in-the-mud" in his words.  This is what surprised (and
>disappointed) me: not the fact that he may be listening to soft rock
>in his car but his implication that listening ONLY to classical is old
>fashioned, not fashionable, one-sided, limited, narrow.
>
>I disagree with this implication categorically and THAT is what I wanted
>to say with my post.  Listening exceptionally to classical music and
>completely ignoring pop, soft and hard rock, hip hop is appropriate and
>nothing to be ashamed of.

Shame or pride seem to me irrelevant.  This is what Dicterow enjoys.
However, listening only to classical IS limited, if we consider the meaning
of the word "only." But there are limits on everybody.  I also find that
imputing motives to someone's likes or dislikes fruitless.  You seem to
think he's pathetically trying to become "one of the gang." It could be
that he feels musically uncomfortable ignoring something not only that he
genuinely likes, but that occupies a far larger place than classical music
in his country's culture.  But, again, neither one of us have the power to
read Mr. Dicterow's mind.

Steve Schwartz