John Smyth wrote in response to Wes Crone:

>>I will NEVER again listen to a Baroque piece or earlier if it is
>>not a HIP (performance).
>
>Considering that Bach did not specify instrumentation for the Art
>of Fugue or the Musical Offering, does that mean it is only allowed
>to exist on paper?

There's an idea; just let two of the finest works in the classical music
genre collect dust on the page.  Of course, John does not advocate any
such thing, nor does he think that Wes advocates that avenue.  John's just
playing "word games", operating as if the only way he can define "HIP" is
in the most strict manner.

Folks who have some problem with the HIP movement often use semantics as
a tool of criticism/rejection.  But, neither the HIP movement nor modern
instrument performances of past music is about semantics; it's about
*music*.

Don Satz
[log in to unmask]