Joseph Sowa replies to me:

>>That, of course, is up to you.  If you're curious about the music written
>>from 1900 on, start listening to those composers.  If you could care less,
>>don't, but don't blame it on the composers.
>
>I say you can blame it on the composers.

I meant, don't blame composers for writing bad works you've never heard.

>What some of the recent composers have done (not in all their works) have
>sacrificed humanity for originality.

And who's done this, in your opinion?  Let's name names.

>Without humanity, you end up with cold and challenging music.

God forbid music should be challenging.  By the way, your general criticism
was once leveled against Brahms.  I offer that fact without comment.

>The composers can be original without sacrificing that which enables people
>to relate to the music.

Here's a thought:  Some people do indeed relate to it.  Are they weird,
deficient, or merely hypocritical?

Steve Schwartz