Knorf - Well, I hope you can derive MORE inspiration/motivation from the concerts that you'll play in the future. Well, the "Pops arrangements" are some of the "tickets" that musical organizations try to use, to get MORE people, interested in classical music. We have such "Pops" motivations, even in ol' Louisville, and probably, in other cities. Also, there's NO question that certain conductors are overpaid; as for CEOs, they ... by-and-large ... are GROSSLY-overpaid, esp. in a relation to their workers - no? IN any case, it's fine to know that you DO love playing ol' Gustav M, and maybe, many of his works. This, young, Viennese man was certainly a transitional figure (let's say) in the progressions of classical music ... and he had a fine career (from what I've gleaned) in his career, as a conductor. There's some angst, some "redemption", some-or-many moments of LYRICISM, and many moments of extending his orchestral works, into a finalized ... yet, not, trivialized ... form, in their many moments & PROGRESSIONS, to a certain end. The great HOPEFULNESS of his 4th, parts of the 5th, and others ... are some of the "signposts" of how 20th Century compositions, even in ... "Viennese hands" .. maybe we could say, and in the ERA that could include, or lead-to Stravinsky, Sibelius, Copland and others, are still so-remarkable, and still such as those, that still involve the HEART, after all. Opinions only, of course.