Scott Morrison wrote:

>The Brahms First Piano Concerto.  What a lovely work otherwise.  But that
>opening is so, er, crass.

Bob Draper wrote:

>No way.  This is one of the greatest openings in music.  It like a sudden
>storm followed by a period of calm with occassional rumbles.

Yep, it is the KA before the BOOM!
It is the nasty CRACK the bowling ball makes when it hits the hardwood and
rolls toward the CRASH of the pins.
It is the SNAP before the SWEET of the grapes.
It is the ARCING RISE of the baseball before the SMACK of the bat is heard.
It is the HUH? before the WHAT WAS THAT?
It is the TANG of the TANGO, the SWITCH of the BLADE, the whole damned SHOE
behind the STRING!

Thomas Heilman