John - this one winds me up, but in a very different sense.  I think it's
one of the most thrilling openings to a piece of music I know, and it's the
one work that has turned our whole family, including the kids when they
were in their teens on to Janacek.  That and the opening of the Glagolitic
Mass.  Last year I had a chance to hear that work in the flesh at Blossom
with the Cleveland Orchestra brass augmented to 14 trumpets.  WOW!  If this
is not for you, may I recommend a consort of viols? De gustibus to be sure,
but we couldn't be further apart on this one!  What is there about this
that you dislike so much - it is a public fanfare intro that was intended
to dazzle and it does.

Eric
sticking to his guns