John Smyth wrote:

>I hope you are not including Prokofiev in this blanket dismissal.  He,
>(among many other 20th Century composers), could write a melody as
>meltingly lovely as any 19th century composer.  Just remember that in the
>20th, it's the rhythms and sonorities that become the prime ear ticklers.
>I must say I have a hard time with some of our Century's music.

Hindemith is a favorite 20th century composer of mine.  One of my all-time
favorite pieces to play is the Hindemith flute sonata (and I love the
Prokofiev flute sonata too, mind you!).  Other good'ens include Martinu and
Muczynski.:-) They all allow for different rhythms and sonorities without
going TOO far out.

I have an appreciation (as any good music-school-grad should) of the later
20th Century composers and those who favored twelve-tone (Schoenberg, Berg,
Webern), and I find that much of the time, I grow to like the music better
when I can play it or analyze it.  This happened to me with the Bartok
string quartets:  analyzing them brought out the genius behind them.  If
you can, find a score and follow along (if your boss doesn't mind!):-)

-Lindsey Orcutt
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