Steve Schwartz, among others, replied:

>Lebrecht is not a Yank, but a pommy British bastard.  I think he writes
>for some London paper.  He has written two books, one claiming that
>classical music will die because star performers make too much money and
>another contending that conductors are to a large extent talentless SOBs.

I've discovered that it's possible to wipe the egg from your face with
one hand while holding a large slice of humble pie in the other.  Some
ill-remembered post had convinced me that Lebrecht lived in or near San
Francisco but I must have confused this with whoever wrote the post.

The replies to my query remind me of a book I have which does a hatchet
job on Alfred Hitchcock.  I kept reading because the book was a gift and
I felt I should finish it.  I shall avoid Mr Lebrecht and do something
enjoyable such as listening to the Walter Klien Mozart sonatas I've just
acquired and which so many listers have recommended highly.  They were
right!

Richard Pennycuick
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