... which is interesting because one of the things I've been thinking about, related to all of this, is how classical music since about 1900 has been pretty nearly impossible to listen to -- it's all about pushing boundaries and breaking "rules" rather than creating something that's pleasant to hear. (Hubby and I joke about "Symphony for Chainsaw and Strangled Cat, in D Minor".) The main counter-examples to this are, ironically enough, the scores for popular films! Which of course are very commercial, but are aimed at creating something that the audience will like, that will support and uplift the emotional content of the movie. It has a purpose beyond simply being a creative exercise for the composer.