Donald Satz wrote:

>Besides, there's no law against providing each orchestra member a "period"
>instrument; I assume that professional musicians have the ability to learn
>to play one.

If I might chime in here in an argument that's sort of over my head,
you're certainly correct that there's "no law" forbidding an orchestra
from purchasing "period" instruments.  I figure quickly in my head that
the cost for an average symphony orchestra to ourfit the musicians with
period instruments, plus pay for the years of study it would take for the
musicians to really learn the HIP approach would cost upwards of a million
dollars.  How many orchestras would be willing to make that kind of
investment for a handful of performances per season?

Professional musicians certainly would have the ability to learn a new
instrument, but with the incredibly demanding schedule (and piddling pay)
of most pro orchestras, there's simply not time, energy or money to make it
worthwhile.

Thus it seems the orchestras are in a no-win situation.  They play Baroque
music and they get hit for not playing in the style.  They admit that they
are not equipped to do a HIP performance of Vivaldi or whomever and they
are hit for ignoring 100 years of history.  It's a tough situation.

David Runnion
http://mp3.com/serafinotrio