Ian Crisp wrote:

>Running quickly through it and eliminating those who are dead, or
>largely inactive, or about to retire from regular performance, and
>therefore leaving the living and active, I get a new top ten:

I thank Ian for down-sizing the list.  This is an outstanding group of
conductors, and it leaves out quite a few other stellar conductors like
Barenboim, Norrington, Herreweghe, Spering, Alessandrini, Goebel, Pinnock,
Nagano, Salonen, M.T.T., Knussen, and Savall.

I'm always surprised and disheartened when I read that the conductors
of the past were substantially greater than the current crop. I see
no value or validity in these "different era" comparisons.  It's like
comparing Babe Ruth to Mark McGuire; so many variables based on the "time"
exist that comparison is useless.  The Legends of yesterday deserve every
accolade they received while alive and since their departure.  The
outstanding conductors of our era deserve no less.  My hands are big
enough to applaud all of them.

Don Satz
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