--

That is not fair. Nick probably hasn't been introduced to Bach in the
same way you and I have and feels intimidated, which I am sure is not
what Bach intended. Bach's music may be complicated and difficult for
the music student to unravel, never mind the layman, but if you get
over your fear of it, the rewards to the listener are at least rewarding
and generally immense. (Having said that, he was a crotchety old so and
so - Probably the 21 kids did that to him
--
June Hughes

Jane my introduction to 'music' was at the age of about 11 when I sang in
the school choir for the Music Festival and we sang the second movement of
Bach's Magnificat 'Et exsultavit' and I think I was the only one in the
choir who loved it right from the start. My next introduction was a couple
of years later when I loved the theme tune which ran through a film which if
my memory serves me correct was called 'Rhapsody'. I didn't know what the
music was, but later I switched the TV on and was looking out to sea whilst
it 'warmed up'. (Days of valves) The sound always came up first and the
theme was being played. It was on the BBC Sunday Afternoon Concert and was
Mendessohn's Violin Concerto. I have since gone on to listen to and
appreciate nearly all of the great composers, but have also widened to such
as Humphty Littleton's Bad Panny Blues and other music such as Tangerine
Dream and have their double CD 'Dream Sequence', many track of which contain
a 'classical music' undertone, but to listen to it's 'surface' it is a
different type of music. However it was later that I learnt that some of
group had classical training which brings me back to your statement about
introduction to music and a music student. I don't know a minim from a
crochet or a semi-breave to a Treble Cleff, but I do appreciate music. I
love classical music and the Bach period from now to Christmas is great. My
only regret is that the St Matthew Passion, which has an ending to end all
endings, will be played on Thursday Night when I am taking all the family
out for a Pre Christmas Dinner. (Some are busy over Christmas, my daughter
and son in law for example have a big hotel which is full over Christmas and
the New Year and my son and daughter in law will be spending Christmas with
her parents this year)

Mike
What is a semi breave? ;-))