Daniel Paul Horn wrote:

>...  The splendid conductor for the Lyric production was John Nelson,
>who has a remarkable gift for getting a orchestra of modern-instrument
>conservatory graduates to sound like a seasoned HIP ensemble.

John Nelson led our San Francisco Symphony Chorus in the mid-to-late 70s
in a Berlioz Requiem which had him sending hundreds of markings to us a
couple of months in advance.  In all fast passagework, we were asked to
put staccato on many notes, and to change most quarter notes to 8th notes +
an 8th rest.  This was to give a lighter effect, similar to what was taught
in earlier music in its own time and today.  We didn't know what to make
of all this, of course, when we got the markings.  It just seemed bizarre.
We were wary of finding a strange control-freak when he eventually arrived,
but he almost immediately showed us how effective the shortened notes were,
what the air around the notes did for the performance in a large hall (by
a large chorus), and he was thoroughly engaging and convincing, a very
dramatic conductor with a flair and we held him in very high regard.

He returned later, for a Messiah in about 1980, when I had left the chorus
(not to return for 12 years) and he had done very similar things to the
score with the shortened note sounds and I was able to hear it from the
audience.  Very effective, beautifully light and clear, dancing, and full
of energy.  Yet he could also find the depth in the slow pieces as well.
Very commanding guy who can make you love what he insists must be done:-)

Andrys in Berkeley
http://andrys.com/books.html