Oliver Solanet writes: >I think the man was a b**tard, and his music inevitably comes out >sounding that way. You are doubtless going to get roasted for saying that, but I think it's a good insight. Beethoven might be described as the Patron Saint of Mid-Life Crisis. The irony is, that the "cussed", cantankerous, arrogant, bad-tempered and self-absorbed qualities resonate with many of us, and the way he transcends these negative moods is often inspiring. Beethoven is good *because* he's a b**tard -- like nearly all the rest of us! Christopher Webber, Blackheath, London, UK http://www.zarzuela.net "ZARZUELA!" The Spanish Music Site *********************************************** The CLASSICAL mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's HDMail High Deliverability Mailer for reliable, lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html