Bernard Sherman replies to me (indirectly):

>>Oh, I don't know.  Any time I hear a condemnation of an entire approach,
>>genre, composer, period, and so forth, I tend to think that the denouncer
>>either hasn't heard nearly enough to judge or is simply crying about how
>>much he hates spinach and that spinach should no longer be grown.
>
>I can certainly understand why Steven Schwartz objects to the statements
>ascribed to me.  But let me confirm Dave Lampson by noting that I never
>actually said them.  I did argue that period performance is no longer being
>held to *higher* standards than the mainstream, and that this represents an
>increased acceptance of HIP performance as something normal.  But I never
>said a word about performers "ceasing to hold themselves to high
>standards."

I've actually gone back to read and reread what Bernard Sherman actually
wrote.  I had been relying on what people told me he wrote - usually a very
bad idea.  What he wrote, I wholeheartedly agree with.  In fact, it's a
beautifully written and argued article, one of the best things I've seen in
the NY Times recently.  I'm definitely ordering Sherman's book Inside Early
Music.

I urge list members to check out the URL

   http://www.kdsi.net/~sherman/ninth.html

for the article in question and

  http://www.kdsi.net/~sherman/rifkin.html

for a sample chapter of Inside Early Music.

I have absolutely no financial interest or personal connection with Bernard
Sherman.

Steve Schwartz, eating crow, not for the first time