Rod Corkin responds to Mimi Ezust:

>>I have found, though, that with an open mind and heart, I can find
>>beauty (and often profundity) in almost any performance if the music is
>>good enough.
>
>This is true but just compare, say, Handel's Concerti Grossi played
>on modern and then period instruments.  There is simply no  contest -
>modern strings and performance techniques cannot emulate
>the sound of a good baroque orchestra.

FWIW, I am quite rigid about preferring baroque chamber, orchestral, and
vocal/orchestral works on period instruments; I have no liking at all for
these works on modern instruments.  But, that's just a personal preference,
and in all fairness, Baroque strings and performance techniques cannot
emulate the sound of a good modern orchestra.  The sound is very different,
and some folks enjoy both or just the modern orchestra.  So while my tastes
appear to be in line with Rod's, there's nothing objective involved.
Trying to justify the superiority of period instruments on historical or
other grounds just leads nowhere and never changes anyone's musical
preferences.

Don Satz
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