John Smth responds to me:

>>In so many performances of romanticized piano music, I don't hear any
>>foundation for the intensity.  It makes no sense and just seems like
>>histrionics for the hell of it.
>
>It doesn't have to make sense.

That is correct.  However, why bother with a performance which does not
make sense of the intensity when there are other performances which do
make sense of it?

>No one is denying the frivolity of excess; but how hard is it to understand
>why performers or listeners might want to occasionally partake of this
>incidental, if sometimes short-lived thrill.

I don't know where John is coming from on this.  I wasn't talking about
the excesses of frivolity, sex, or tittilation.  My subject is the overt
displays of people in deep anguish.  All I'm looking for is some foundation
for it - otherwise, cut it out.

John also mentioned that most folks "like to be wowed once and awhile
by an indulgent or emptily-virtuoso performance just for the hell of it".
However, I'm not one of those folks, particularly if it's costing me money.
I acquire discs of musical performances of the works of particular
composers and don't want any 'empty' performances of any type.

Don Satz
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