Writing in the NY Times today, Bernard D.  Sherman, the author of "Inside
Early Music: Conversations with Performers," concludes HIP performances
now have just as much right as their mainstream counterparts to be, well,
"nothing special."

Perhaps, Sherman muses, because period-instrument performers have ceased
to hold themselves to high standards and because the novelty may have
worn off, the HIP are no longer expected to be more interesting than the
mainstream.

Sherman then goes on to an analysis of recent HIP recordings of Beethoven's
9th, comparing them unfavorably to the great 9ths in the recording
archives, in particular Toscanini's 1952 recording.

HIP junkies, of which I am obviously not one, should read Sherman's article
as perhaps badly needed "balanced-diet" food for thought.

John Dalmas
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