Steve Schwartz <[log in to unmask]> wrote in response to me:

>>If one possibly whats a more safe start however I would say that Beethoven
>>is indubitabely a much more safe start than Boulez.
>
>The point I have always made is that there is no such thing as a safe
>choice, that one person's Beethoven is another's Boulez and vice versa.

I disagree that reactions could be the same either way...  I can accept
that, on first encounter (and not only to his music, but as first encounter
with CM), someone may fall immediately in love with Boulez...  however, I
can more easily imagine (as I count myself of this type), someone first
hearing it and thinking, "What the h***?!"

With a Beethoven or Mozart symphony or concerto, a person may immediately
love, like, remain unmoved, or be bored to tears...  but at least they'll
all *get* it...  (although, given, some on not as lofty a level as others.)

Albie