RE: Mathieu on chromatic scales, superdiesis, Medieval m usic

Daniel wrote,

>If you sort out the topoi in which chromatic scales are used in Mozart (and
>Haydn) you will find nothing of the romantic steely precision found in
>later, romantic musics (or even in Bach, for that matter). Instead,
>chromatic textures are used for exoticism, danger, or catastrophe (i.e.
>accompaning the Stone Guest in _Don Giovanni-). For these purposes, the
>uneven patterns of meantone chromatic scales are ideal.

>There is also a technical argument to be made: Viennese classical fingering
>avoided the thumb, thus passage work was continuously broken into grupetti
>of two or three pitches, yielding anything but the smooth effect of high
>romantic pianism. (in contrast, Bach famously used his thumb!).

Are we talking about the same Mozart and Bach??? I hear plenty of chromatic
runs in Mozart that sound perfect as even, featureless ascents or descents,
but none in Bach. I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree.