Just as Mediocrity helps to balance out and enhance Excellence (see In Praise of Mediocrity), musical works and musical performance are enriched by the workings of pairs of opposites. Here are some interesting pairs. See how you can use them as you develop musical understanding and as you apply them to create great renditions of musical works. Formal- rhapsodic Rhythmic- free Intellectual- artistic, expressive Rigid-free Harmony-counterpoint Vertical-horizontal Dissonance-con

Mediocrity rises early and goes to market. Her daughters: Superficiality, Banality, Vulgarity, Triviality, Vanity, Frivolity, Vacuity, and Envy accompany her. One may recognize them by the way they walk, putting on airs. They move quickly, so they seem to be everywhere, making a lot of noise. Of all of them, Envy is the worst; her face is always sour. Mediocrity and her daughters call attention to themselves. They dress a bit loud and enjoy showing off. Little by little, they

To the uninitiated -the inexperienced musician- the musical score can represent an enigma. The score guards its secrets from the inexperienced, who baffled by its code, retreats after merely scratching the surface, or ends up all puffed up, thinking himself already a master. The uninvited must admire the gardens from outside; the privileged few are invited to dine with the composer. Yet, how is the uninitiated to unveil the musical code? First, by learning the code. But what