John Dalmas wrote

>It is my belief no one can write a great symphony simply by sitting down
>at a desk (or piano, or wherever) and just doing it.

How else do you think anyone does it?

>There will be no "Death in Venice" written about Aaron Copland, and there
>is no great symphony.

Note that the original "Death in Venice" (Thomas Mann's book) was about a
writer of words, not of music.  The film used some of Mahler's music, a
character that had his first name, and an actor that somewhat looked like
him.  The story bore very little resemblance to Mahler's life and death.
(The flashbacks to the character's daughter dying at a young age may be the
film's most true-to-Mahler historical moment.)

Aaron J. Rabushka
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