This problem would require a conference paper or colloquium in itself to resolve. It is good to ask oneself whether music expresses emotions, but it isn’t certain that the Baroque masters thought that this was the main aim of music. In short, it is an issue open to debate and it would be interesting to ask Couperin or Bach for their response to it. To express, or make an expressive gesture, exprimer, as if there was something inside and a hole had to open up for it to escape, as if it were important for the others to see it.

In Classical Rome and Greece, music formed part of the sciences. However, the idea of considering if music has to transmit emotions doesn’t seem without reason. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach added something new in reference to sentiment. It is clear that he didn’t take this idea from his father. What he added was: I am the first to express l’humour in music. An idea which, on the other hand, was in use since the time of his musical godfather, Telemann—the other Philipp.

It is not only important to always keep your eyes open to the information offered by the score, but also to what the other disciplines offer. Undoubtedly, this is somewhat vague, but behind this vagueness is a richness which one can try to perceive. However, above all, one has to be a musician. A musical technique exists which must necessarily be learned. One doesn’t only have to pay attention to the notes, but to everything around them as well, but not as the most important concern. In sum, what is most important is that taste dominates, always keeping your eyes open to other information.

You’ve just cited Johann Sebastian Bach. In your opinion, is he the greatest composer of all time?

He is undoubtedly the greatest composer. Wagner himself confessed that he and many others were a kind of “watered-down” Bach. Confessing that you owe everything to him is a good way of paying tribute to Bach. I completely agree with Wagner on this point.

It is clear that Bach was already out of fashion in his time, and that in 1850 his style was completely passé since everyone admired the galant style, Empfindsamkeit, the Rococo, Sturm und Drang, which was a different thing altogether. This lasted until 1830, until Mendelssohn. Of course, we only know a little about Mendelssohn’s romantic vision of Bach. I am under the impression that what we call romantic is an idea that was formed this century after the two world wars. The tremendous transformation in musical instruments (metal strings, metal flutes, the endpin of the violoncello) is a reality of this century. But today, the discussion about instruments, more or less romantic views, etc., is already out of fashion. This discussion was somewhat lively during the 1950s, not now.