edenB Id have to agree, I think that there are tons of stuff that I didnt like, but I greatlly respected based on the skill in which it was done, or the compositional value.
Id say that is a pretty true statement for most composers.

You've completely missed my point.

I didn't say anything about my appreciation of the technical aspect of classical music, all I said is that I enjoy very little of it, and I basically don't care for it.  It naturally follows that I don't pay much attention to it.  Why should I, if I find most of it so dull?

Modern music is just as good.

Edenb, if you were a well rounded musician then you should be able to enjoy, or at least appreciate 70s Progressive Rock (or any genre).  Is it that you don't like it because you don't understand it?

No of course not.  It's just that classical music seems to have some special status - that's what I don't like.

I agree entirely.  The point I'm making is that classical composers seem to have some kind of special status, which is what I disagree with.

Heh, I listen to a fair bit of prog rock actually.

Perhaps classical composers have this so-called "special status" because classical music is the basis of all western music.

Ah a fellow prog rock fan!  Excellent stuff.  Which bands do you listen to?  I enjoy some prog rock, but find a lot of it rather innaccessible.  My favourites include Marillion, Spock's Beard, Genesis - a fairly standard and mainstream list I suspect...

Spock's beard is awesome! I'm listening to a lot of Mars Volta and Pain of Salvation at the moment, as well as Yes (not the horrible pop stuff). My favorite bands tend to change every few months or so, although I cannot stand Dream Theater (in all honesty, they're not that bad; but the fanboys are).

I don't really like Dream Theater either.  It's overly technical for my liking, it seems complex just for the sake of it.

Does post-rock count? I never know how these things fit together...

prog wise I'd only really listen to king crimson, or some jethro tull.

Post rock tends to me more stripped back powerful build ups rather than intelligent arrangements, but I'd say there are some bands which do borrow a bit from the orchestral aspects of prog, such as godspeed you! black emperor, a silver mt. zion, the rachels.

Don't worry, I'm certain that talking behind his back in public where he can't even answer for himself, let alone bringing up sensitive private matters without his approval and calling him a "non-salvagable failure" is more mature than that.