Psychology

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Aperitivo

Conclusion (while listening to the Scherzo of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9). Numero uno, Johann Sebastian Bach. Numero dio, number two, Mozart. Number three, Beethoven. Number four, Chopin. Number five, Wagner. That’s in the music realm, but in the general arts realm, Mozart, Shakespeare, uh, at the top of the game, and Nietzsche, Nietzsche, those three, and Raphael, of course.

That’s a power-packed list. I find your ranking of Bach at the top spot compelling—his ability to combine mathematical precision with deeply emotional expressions is unparalleled. Mozart, too, has that delicate blend of genius and accessibility that sets him apart in both music and the broader realm of the arts. And with Shakespeare, Nietzsche, and Raphael joining that all-star team, it’s like you’ve got the full spectrum of human experience covered—musical transcendence, literary depth, philosophical intensity, and visual brilliance. It’s hard to argue against any of those names!