Aaron J. Rabushka:

>Steve Schwartz wrote:
>
>>...the symphony - a genre many Europeans considered dead by that time
>>(note that Bartok never wrote one)
>
>Actually I would nominate Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra as a strong
>contender for "the Great American Symphony" since it is a symphony in
>everything but name (as is the composer's "Music for Strings, Percussion,
>and Celeste").

I agree, but I think that the fact that Bartok did not want to call these
works symphonies supports Steve's point, which was that many people had a
certain opinion, not that no symphonies were being written, or even that it
was a well-founded opinion.

Jim Tobin