What became of schubert, more recently aka jim5559?

Schubert and I traded quite a few PM’s over the years. Mostly on the subject of Classical music. He is (tense I will use until with proof otherwise) one of the most knowledgeable music lovers I have ever “met”. True, he is intolerant of Pop and Rock, an area were we disagreed, but fantastically astute on the subjects of Classical music, musicians and great recordings. Jazz, a new musical interest is another genre that he considers “serious” music. He is also an extremely generous person. Very religious and pious.

I went back over our PM correspondence and was reminded of a couple of things. I share a couple of these with only positive intention and in the interest of offering some insight into the man. Schubert, if you read this, I hope you don’t mind.

Six years ago he mentioned that he was 83 years old. This would make him 89 or 90 today.

Once, when discussing our mutual love for the music of Leos Janacek he offered to send me a book on Janacek in appreciation of an ADC cartridge stylus that I had sent him and that I had no use for. The sent book was accompanied by several dozen CD’s, each accompanied by a note with a very insightful and handwritten mini review. Each one a fantastic recording. When I expressed my discomfort with accepting such a generous gift, his response was: “In Christian Ethics to receive well is more blessed than to give”.

The problem with schubert was (?) he had (?) no sense of humour. Ya know, being filled with joy is a very Christian thing (and self-righteousness a very un-Christian one). That joy can be accessed through ANY kind of music.

The main problem, as I see it, is the intolerance often demonstrated by many of those who profess to be the most tolerant. 

@frogman 

You are correct about that, and I'm at least as guilty as any of intolerance at times; but as @bdp24 points out, it was a really flawed point of view on Schubert's part to dismiss the joy that others found in types of music that he didn't care for.

It struck me as surprising for someone who was a cultured man, but then we humans are nothing if not a collection of contradictions.

Schubert’s main criteria in music was the search of beauty. He claimed he had watched culture get worse from Rock, so he focused on the beautiful. I think if you take Philippians 4:8 seriously you would understand his stance better. He was very passionate regarding the " least of these", and absolutely had lived an interesting life, and knew his classical better than anyone I have ever met. He also had a great love of Sonny Stitt, so whats not to like.

I think he took it to far, to have such a vocal hatred of rock, but I understood where he came from. I agree with Roxy54, we are all so full of contradictions.

Hopefully the use of past tense is that he is not currently here on audiogon.