Bob Draper wrote: >I believe that this is Mozart's misfortune and explains why he was such >a bland and boring composer. You see he had no option but to assimulate >(copy) other composer's styles (just like Mendellsohn did), the child's >mind is just not developed enough to be creative. Without casting a single dispersion on anyone's opinion, I must say I have been amazed and surprised since joining this list that some classical-music lovers dislike Mozart so. I've always thought since I was a kid the Mozart *is* classical music. I didn't think *anyone* disliked Mozart. I've learned that Mozart is a "bland and boring" composer who wrote "childish melodies." Truly, I respect the opinions, but I am amazed. I find it odd too that the one area to be praised of Mozart's output is counterpoint. I always thought people admired Bach for counterpoint, not Mozart. I thought Mozart's place in history was more for his gift for capturing human emotion and communication with melody, tunes that define civilization. For his virtuosic, effortless, and uniquely innovative command of harmony and structure that perfectly framed his melodic creativity. For his astounding genius of characterization in his operas, perfectly aligning the musical composition with the character and meaning of the story, and capturing his characters' thoughts, feelings, psychological struggles, love, hate, fear so perfectly with the music that no one could possibly question his absolute genius in expressing the human condition through music. Mozart was once described to my by a teacher as "too easy for amateurs, too difficult for professionals" to play. Perhaps the same is true from a listener's perspective. Too easy to dismiss as simple and childish, too difficult for some to truly understand what his music and life mean to humanity. David Runnion http://www.serafinotrio.com Mallorca, Spain