Noise reader Vinny writes: "Here is a tale related to me by one of my college professors, Gerald Levinson, from his times studying with Messiaen. Messiaen had invited his corps of students to dinner. Conversation at the table was vibrant and had managed to swing towards judging the merits of Rachmaninoff. Loriod turned to Messiaen and asked, 'What DO we think of Rachmaninoff?' There was a two-minute pregnant pause while he considered. Then he rendered: 'We approve.'"
On a relevant and doleful note, Vinny has created an amazing online catalogue of Dies Irae quotations.
