Are There Any Valid Criticisms? (aka Kalessin's Rant)

[Kuruharan]

On the other hand, I have turned in essays or stories that were hastily written the night before, and not only gotten an A, but had the prof specifically commend it (and often read more into it than I put in ). When this happens, I always wonder, "What would happen if I actually tried?"

I've often found that the grade you receive is inversely related to the amount of effort you put into something. The less the effort the better the grade. I'm testing that theory now. I'm supposed to be preparing for finals next week. Alas, by this point in the semester I am rather demoralized and am showing a decided lack of enthusiasm. In other words, there is not much in the way of study time.

Too bad this whole composer thing is just for illustrating a point. Anybody know a good site to discuss it?

Alas, no. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

Music theory, literary criticism, and such should not, in my view, tell us what things are good; it should tell us why they are good.

I agree with that. I have had some classes that were more geared in that direction, but I think that had more to do with the direction the professor wanted to go. I believe that the general trend is to explain what rather than why.

It is a pity that Tolkien did not put more information about the music of Middle earth in his works. There may be some information in some of the books, I'll have to look. But that was not where his primary interest lay, with him it was the languages. (Not that I'm finding fault for that.)