>i don't follow why using "his" if you're male and "her" if you're female is natural, if you're not writing about yourself. this seems to confuse things more.

why are you taking this usage literally when you want to ignore the natural "pluralness" of they? I'm just suggesting a different convention.

>stravinsky was once considered agonising.

some still so consider him. how do you feel about John Cage?