Steve Schwartz replied to me: >The parallel fifths or octaves are objective. The assertion that their >presence marks a badly-written piece is not. Bach has parallel fifths >and octaves in fugal texture (works supplied on request). It usually >startles you when you hear it, but so far I've not heard anyone try to >argue that the works in which they appear are badly written. Of course I could change your opinion by saying it now.:) Seriously, in the Bach works where I encountered this (which isn't many) I do find it "badly written". But I'm aware, it is a stricly personal opinion. Speaking of parallel octaves: >Who forbids them? Why? I could surmise why, but I'm amazed In This Day >and Age that anyone takes such strictures seriously, especially real, >honest-to-gosh working composers, and not just modern composers, either. I quite agree here, even though I find it sad. Nonetheless, it wasn't quite my point. That a rule isn't obeyed by modern composers doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Jan