At 17:30 30/12/2001 -0300, Ricardo M. Forno wrote: <<You are right on both counts, but anyhow you should recognize that modern music is usually harsh and dissonant, while old music isn't.>> Morgan Owens replied: <Well, all this is just a restatement of what Jim Muth said in his editorial, sweeping generalisation and all, so my reply obviously wouldn't be any different either.> Generalizations aside Morgan, which do you prefer, harmonious or dissonant music? Or like myself, do you find good and bad in both styles? In my experience, it is something indefinable, call it inspiration if you will, that makes a piece of music good. If the inspiration is there, it will be heard in the music, whether that music be harmonious or dissonant. Inspiration cannot be turned on at will, which is why so many works commisioned for special occasions are heard once and then consigned to the graveyard of forgotten music. I prefer classical music, though I admit that in order to fully appreciate it, the mind must be engaged, which is something we are becoming ever less willing to do here in the USA. Maybe this is why sales of classical recordings have shrunk to less than 5 percent of the total market. Jim M.