Robert Peters wonders whether there is an "inner circle of classical
music."   He suggests that, in off-list email, someone (or several
people?) have suggested to him that there is.

Is this really the case Robert?  Has someone actually written to you
that there is such a thing as an inner circle of classical music
(and, I guess, that you are not part of it)?

I find it hard to believe because I, I am certain, am one of the
least knowledgeable members of this list and from my position of
relative ignorance have asked my share of bonehead questions and not
once has anyone on the list ever been rude or dismissive.  Rather,
they have taken the time to answer my questions, to teach me things
about the music.  As I don't have the common aversion to being taught
I am extremely grateful to the many members of this list who have
taken the time over they years to share their greater knowledge and
experience of the music with me.

If there is an "inner circle" (I doubt it), and if members of this
list are part of it, it is clearly not a closed circle.  It is a
circle whose members happily incorporate new members.

And the good news is I *am* learning.  A friend (perhaps a member of
the mysterious "inner circle") spent a couple hours with me recently
and helped me learn to read orchestral scores--or more precisely, to
follow along in the score as I listen to orchestral music.  Doing so,
I find, in addition to being a great deal of fun, is a great help in
teaching me about the structures of the pieces I listen to.  Indeed,
so taken am I with this new combination of listening and reading that
I hardly want to listen to anything to which--for the moment--I don't
have the score.

My friend suggests that one day soon we should have a "master class."
For this we will work on reading a Shoenberg score.  Perhaps when
I've demonstrated that I can read an atonal score my friend will
teach me the secret handshake of the inner circle?

Best,