Robert Peters wrote: >Yes, a movie like Schindler's List has to be ugly, too, because it deals >with an ugly subject. Although the movie certainly deals with the ugly subject of how low human thought and actions can go, there is also the uplifting element of Schindler's conversion and the movie is also testimony to the spirit and hopes of those who were prisoners in the concentration camps. You probably already know what I'm getting at - CONTRAST. In music, contrast is one of the most important elements of music composition. It is not only routine to find much contrast in a composition, but also within movements of a composition. When so-called "ugly" music is being presented, I think it's crucial that there is a corresponding positive or upbeat emotion as well. I'm not talking about some rigid 50-50 split, but a variety of emotions which enriches the work and the individuals performing and listening to it. Don Satz [log in to unmask]