Aaron Rabushka responds (in part): >1) By using the work "anti-manifesto" you seem to indulging the kind of >indirect communication that you deplore coming from Joyce and his ilk. >There doesn't seem to be anything "anti-" about your manifesto. I was writing in (very belated) response to Mr. Babbitt's article which, I believe, was subtitled "A manifesto." If I'm wrong, I'm sure you'll tell me. >3) No one needs your permission to write. Fortunately. Note that we >remember fewer vituperators than we do composers. Eduard Hanslick comes >to mind, and Mr. Pleasants (sp?)(whose first name escapes me) is always >good for a few laughs. That was Henry Pleasants. And reading Eduard Hanslick's criticisms today, they seem to me the epitome of reasonable musical discussion. I guess everyone gets their laughs in different ways. I am looking forward in the next few minutes to listening to those "swatches" on your web page. I will forebear to criticize, however, unless I really like them. I also agree with your point 4. There will always be disagreement about just which types of music are "better" than Garth and Madonna. Best wishes, David Simmons [log in to unmask] Virginia Beach, VA