Beyond Language

Giants like Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Brahms, Schubert, and Schumann seem to lock classical works upon Germany foundations, just as Italians defined opera until Wagner's new approach.

Yet non-Germans fit in perfectly well. You know instantly that Dvorak isn't German and openly used Czech folk themes, just as Sibelius used Finnish folk stylings and Grieg integrated Norwegian folk music. There is room enough for great composers of any heritage capable of substantial artistic writing.

No matter the composer's culture and heritage, which form his instincts, a composer must present his ideas in a coherent form.

Scattered and insensible ideas and disregarded as worthless, which immediately excludes most from cultural participation.

With all works, a vision is needed, then creative ideas to unfold the vision into expression, and finally a drive to completion. Sufficiency of each trait is rare enough, and all three together almost never happens, which is why artistic work appears rarely, especially today as these traits are driven out, dulled, and tamed.

The artistic expressions of wild spirits depends upon no particular national language, needing only to be substantial, at which point its greatness is undeniable by those who revere such things.