In even the wildest melees of sound and the most turbulent clashes of time signatures and tempos, one sensed a composer who knows exactly what he is doing and how his music will sound.
I'm really pleased for Paul Nicholls and I really believe that there's a good chance Kauto Star and Denman will be 6-4 joint-favourites by the time they go to post next year – if that happens it will be the biggest National Hunt clash of all time.
The perceived east-west cultural clash of our times is more than academic to Gilbert & George, both now in their 70s.
Victory in this clash of first-time finalists would make Clermont the first team to take the trophy after also winning all six pool stage matches since the Heineken adopted its current format in the 1999-2000 season.
Starting with Saturday's trip to Southampton, Forest then entertain Derby in a must-not-lose-at-any-cost-at-the-best-of-times clash, before Newcastle come to town in the Carling Cup, but McClaren can at least call on Guy Moussi and Paul Anderson after injury and history: Forest haven't lost in Southampton since 1990.
One woe upon another A clash of wills No time to plod Utah's holy war America the sensible ReprintsOne thing they disagree about is the plan for a 21-mile, $4.3 billion light-rail system.
It is not a clash of two all-time great sides but with both feeling the pressure of underwhelming starts to World Cup qualification, the hostility remains just as fierce.
And like the most poignant of political dramas, from ancient Rome to modern politics, it had absolutely implacably opposed figures on either side: two self-made leaders in Margaret Thatcher and Arthur Scargill, bent on one of the mightiest industrial clashes of modern times.
It was rounded out by one of the more nondescript Cascadia clashes of recent times as Seattle and Portland cancelled each other out until a frenetic final 15 minutes, but prior to that New York Red Bulls and LA Galaxy played their only game of the regular season in a manner that was remarkable in the context of recent history.
From there, she went straight on to blockbusters Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Clash of the Titans.
