There Is Another Interesting Paradox Here: By

Great Music Does Not Just Make Me Feel Good. It Means Something. It Makes Us Understand. It Makes Us Happy.

The Fact That Stravinsky Used The Classics As A Major Influence Is Obvious. What Is Interesting Is How He Used Them, How He Turned Bach Into Stravinsky.

To Me, Mozart Is Our Shakespeare, The One Who Wrote The Most Dramatic, Psychologically Most Baffling Music. He Combined Ideas That No One Else Would Have Thought Of Putting Together.

Yes, Influences Are Enriching, And They Can Be Found In Every Work Of Art, Even The Most Original.

Personality Is Essential. It Is In Every Work Of Art. When Someone Walks On Stage For A Performance And Has Charisma, Everyone Is Convinced That He Has Personality. I Find That Charisma Is Merely A Form Of Showmanship. Movie Stars Usually Have It. A Politician Has To Have It.