Bob Draper <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Even a few of the Mozart fans here are admitting that the admiration goes
>far beyond common sense.  I would be the first to concede that 20-30 of
>the early Haydn symphonies aren't up to much.

I am surprised to hear that from an inveterate Haydnlover!  The troikaday
symphonies 6,7,8, Le Midi and company, are frequently recorded.  "Der
Philosoper" is a little gem in its clearness and easyness with which it
seems to have been composed..."Lamentatione" is a masterwork!  It has a
strong emotional impact and is for me one of the best Haydn symphonies of
them all.  These two latter mentioned symphonies surely reveals that Haydn
isn't that harmless "Papa Haydn" some people thought about him to be.

>But some people would have us believe that Mozart is a deity.
>I'll never buy that.

Well, I don't buy that Mozart would be far over other composers either.
As I already pointed out: Arriga could do at young age very similar things
to what Mozart could do at the same age.  Listen first to "Los ensclavos
felices", and then compare Arriagas "Sinfonie in Re" with Mozarts 13th
symphony.  Arriaga is a perfect medium for comparision with Mozart as their
styles came close to each others.

>I think that as a society the need for people to have heros and the
>manipulation of this fact by the media often leads to a blind faith
>far divorced from reality.  Einstein is another example of over the top
>adoration.  Just as he gets the credit for the work of Newton, Lorenz,
>Poincre, Minkovsky, Plank, Reinmann, Michelsohn and Fitzgerald so Mozart
>gets credit due to Haydn, CPE Bach, Handel and Gluck.

If society has this need for heroes, why doesn't it achieve more heroes
with crediting each person for its work? BTW I would say Haydn also get
credited for what others has made.  Too often CPE bach is called F.J.Haydn.
 [Although I could agree the Bach influence is more obvious in Michael].

>It is irritating to see so many versions of the Mozart adaptation of The
>Messiah appearing on the shelves purely because his name is bigger than
>Handel's.

Not in my CD store.

>Also, I have often read that Mozart developed the symphony.  In the face
>of such intimidation is it little wonder I occassionally hit back?

Due to such errors, which I also have seen, I gladly welcome your fight.

Mats Norrman
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http://www.fortunecity.de/kraftwerk/metallica/84/c.html