Norman Schwartz writes:

>It's evident that the question of Mehta-bashing simply produces more of
>the same.  As a NYP subscriber and attender of many of its open rehearsals,
>I never witnessed a downhill trend nor a poor performance.

I was fortunate to move to LA at the end of Mehta's tenure so I was not
subjected to too many mediocre performances, but those I did attend were
decidedly mediocre.  When he has returned as a guest the main criticism
(and one I share) is that while he knows the pieces he conducts, attention
to detail is something he seems to ignore.

>I'm not a musician but once got wind of the fact that Mehta asked for
>an unpopular bowing-technique to produce a sound which he preferred that
>didn't sit well with the musicians in question.  Isn't appropriate to offer
>some hard facts or evidence?

Well, I am a musician, and from speaking with musicians in both the LAPO
and NYPO, the opinion seems to be that while he's relatively easy to work
for, there's not much inspiration coming from the podium.

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