Bernard Chasan wrote:

>The discussions under the subject title of this note are downright
>surrealistic because they are generally not about Levine at all, but
>rather about Munch and others.  Levine is dismissed from consideration,
>and generally disapproved for musical reasons which "everybody" knows.
>I need enlightenment.  Why the negativity?

I can only speculate that others might share something of my own
perspective.

 From what I have heard of his performances, Levine's work does not
move me.  It is not a question of his abilities, it is a question of his
approach to music.  To my ears his performances are designed to "sound
like the record." For me, that means polished and controlled.  I find no
excitement in his interpretive perspective.  Likewise, I rarely found any
excitement in Ozawa's interpretive perspective.

It was during the Munch years that I acquired a tape machine and
started recording BSO broadcasts.  I also sought out collectors who had
Koussevitzky performances.  When Ozawa arrived I lost interest.  The
repertoire seemed to me to be more mainstream and the performances,
lacking in the excitement I had come to expect from that orchestra.

In my mind, there are few who would do right by the BSO.  I believe
Slatkin or Tilson Thomas would be worthy successors to the tradition of
Koussevitzky and Munch.

For me, the choice of a conductor for the BSO is more about what was and
what it could be instead of what it will be.

Karl