Aaron Rabushka wrote:

>I played the first movement of Debussy's "Nocturnes." At one point this
>features a pentatonic melody that, to me, "sounds Chinese." One of the
>students was from Taiwan and he didn't hear it as such.

I had a similar experience...I played both Vivaldi's Flute Concerto in
DM and Song without words which struck me as very Chinese - I don't know
if anyone else has had this experience - and some of my Chinese friends
agreed...on a lighter note - I was in a cab the other day and the old
Chinese cab driver started whistling strains from the Toreador Song....upon
which I exclaimed " Ah, you're a fan of classical music - that's Bizet's
Toreador Song ' - in reply I got a strange look and this " Who's Bizet???
This is Chinese pop song, top on the charts now, your Bizet must have
copied it' ....Happy New Year all.

anu