Drew Capuder wrote (with a lot of editing):

>Joseph, Don't you think the following works by Mozart would have sounded
>"modern" as of 1791 (date of Mozart's death): the last 2 symphonies;
>the g minor and c major string quintets (K 515 & 516); the d minor piano
>concerto (number 20; K466); and Don Giovanni and even Figaro and the Magic
>Flute.  And maybe more to the point, don't you think those works were
>stretching the harmonic and rythmic syntax of the day? ...
>
>Maybe I don't disagree with Joseph a whole lot.  I think Mozart arguably
>worked within the forms that he had inherited, but the inference from
>Joseph's post is that it follows that Mozart was not innovative.  I think
>Mozart late in his life was quite innovative, and let's not forget its hard
>to talk about someone fairly as a "traditionalist" (which I think is
>Joseph's point) when we only have a 35-year life span to evaluate.

Yes, he did have a short life and, yes, he did get more daring as he grew
older.  About all that other stuff, I'll get back to you in one day when I
can rehear the mentioned works.  Right now my opinion of Mozart is similar
to John Parker's opinion of Beethoven (I think it was him--I looked for the
exact message, but couldn't find it, only a reply).

Joseph Sowa
(Who just might change his opinion about Mozart
whereupon 1,000 people will say "Told you so.")