Mr Miaomiao Yu wrote:

>I respect the right of everyone to have their opions about the performer,
>either bad or good.  Seeing both sides of the coin is enlightening for
>this fervent lover and student of CLASSICAL music.  However, I am slightly
>alarmed at Mr. Horwood's comment that "the sooner Lang Lang is shipped
>back to China, the better", and his derogatory remarks about the Chinese
>and Chinese art form of vase/plate juggling, or what have you.  Classical
>music as a Western art form that has now become the international art
>form.  I am saddened that a supposedly civilized discussion group still
>has people who feel a sense of entitlement to the British stage, or feel
>the need to belittle others based on their country of origin.  If Lang
>Lang is to be judged, please, judge him for his abilities as a performer.>

I cannot agree more.  It is sad that so many people don't seem to
want to understand that the development of art in any place has always
depended largely on cross-cultural influences, that we would not have
Mozart's operas the way they are if he hadn't spend such a long time in
Italy, where he wrote his first operas, that most of american art works
have their roots in some other culture, and that art itself is the best
proof that the human race belongs to one big family.  I would not want
to embark upon any value judgements, for example why western classical
music seems to be accessible to so many oriental cultures and not vice
versa, but I still think that to judge any performer upon his nationality
is narrowing and in the offensive.

Arnold Bosman