Bob Draper wrote: >I'm being facetious of course because in my view all these people and >Mozart himself are contemporaries of Joseph Haydn and I therefore find >the title of the series offensive. > >If you want to know what I've been moaning about these last few months >then the name of this series provides part of the answer. > >How condescending and patronising to describe Micheal Haydn and Stamitz >as mere contemporaries of Mozart. I've only been on this list for the past couple of months to realize that you are Haydn's true hero! Personally, I didn't take the title to be condescending. I just wanted to let you know that my wife, who has been in the music retail business for 15 some years, agrees with you. In fact, this started a little Sunday afternoon debate. She assumes that it's a marketing tool. I agree that it is unfortunate that Mozart is more well known, at least amongst the general public, than Papa Haydn; Sandra thinks that it will help *catch* the shopper's eye. She argued that a composer should not be mentioned, especially if the works of such are not performed. Personally, I couldn't care if the title was the Top 10 of the 18th century. I heard some of it and liked it. I guess this may not be the case for all CD shoppers. At any rate, being the smart husband, I'm sittin' on a fence. I agree that she has a good point. Notwithstanding the title, it's the music dictates my passion. Cheers, Iain and Sandra Simons