Mikael Rasmusson wrote:

>As somebody else pointed out: Bach transcribed some of Vivaldi's
>concertos, and B wouldn't waste time on music lacking inspiration.

I don't know about this kind of reasoning.  It seems to say:

a.  I love Bach.
b.  Bach transcribed Vivaldi.
c.  Vivaldi must be good too.

That's one scenario.  Another could be that Bach saw "potential" in those
Vivaldi works, but felt that Vivaldi did not tap into it very well, and
that he, Bach, could do a better job.  Hey, this reminds me of "Amadeus"
and the on-the-spot transcription that Mozart did of Salieri's welcoming
piece.  Quite a difference, no?

Beyond this speculation, I find it notable that Vivaldi fans often use
this "transcription" premise to help support their views of Vivaldi's
music.  How about just liking Vivaldi for himself and his music without
any reference to what any other composer or person did or thinks.  I like
Spohr quite a bit, and, say, Beethoven's opinion of Spohr would mean
nothing to me.  It's my opinion that counts - I'm the buyer and listener.

Don Satz
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