The first thing I read in American Record Guide is "Critical Convictions" where Don Vroon usually leads the charge toward some extreme position he is obsessed with. Always interesting! In the latest issue (July/August), he's barking about period performance practices, how dogmatic the adovocates are, how poor the musicans are, how so few artists and performers think well of it, and what a total waste the movement is. It's a good read, although, as usual, Vroon misses the whole point of period performance - enjoyment. Since he hates the sound of period performances, he assumes that nobody in their right mind could possibly enjoy them. He just sees all advocates as rigid anti-romantics who want to ruin music for everyone else. He even seems to feel that there's a "resistance movement" afoot, and I wouldn't be surprised if he also feels he's the leader of that movement. What I like about Don Vroon is that he writes what he thinks without regard for the responses of the readers. That is refreshing in an era where speaking "correctly" seems to be considered the only acceptable avenue. Don Satz [log in to unmask]