Bob Draper writes:

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

But Bob, he *did* develop the symphony.  And so did Haydn.  And so did
Beethoven.  And so did Mahler.  And Corigliano. How can you possibly be
"intimidated" by such a statement????

Then Bernard Chasan wrote:

>Why do you make it so personal between you and Mozart? It is ridiculous.
>And why does such an innocuous thing intimidate you? But enough - never
>again will I waste time answering Bob.

It really is a good question, Bernard.  I mean really, Mozart, Haydn, both
great composers, and that's the end of it.  To venerate one and condemn the
other would just be kind of goofy if it didn't appear that to praise Mozart
is a personal "intimidation" and requires "hitting back." I like oranges,
and I like apples.  If I started getting upset when people praised apples,
thinking that my view of oranges is being wantonly attacked, and started
making up statistics like "everybody I know prefers oranges 2 to 1," I'd
have to take a long hard look in the mirror and examine what it really is
that makes me like fruit in the first place.

David Runnion
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