The whole discussion makes we wonder what our equalivants, perhaps music lovers in a correspondence circle, would have written in 1902 regarding music since Tristan. Would Tristan have been the War Requiem for them? Maybe they would have referred to the Verdi Requiem, who knows? Would they have been as well informed as us? Perhaps not, in terms of familiarity with a vast repertoire. On the other hand, receptivity to new music would have been higher across the board. There also would have been vigorous discussion of the Wagner vs. the Brahms schools of "program" vs. "absolute" music. Undoubtedly, the likes of Bruch and Raff would be championed, while few would mention Mahler or Bruckner. Let's hope there won't be a world war in 2014 to completely warp current musical developments the way they were in 1914. Or did WW1 really have that great an effect? I say yes, certain developments, e.g. the second Viennese School, would not have been taken on so profoundly had there not been WW1. Neoclassicism, however, probably would have been as big or bigger, a necessary correction to the Wagnerian pendulum. Other ideas out there? Jeff Dunn [log in to unmask]