I came across these two links today, and thought some folks on the list
might be interested.

Here is a link to Charles Rosen's latest article in The New York Review
of Books.  I don't know if Mr. Rosen can really be considered a critic,
but he's certainly a voice I trust.  His NYROB articles seem to be about
the only serious writing about *music* (rather than about recordings,
performances, or, occasionally, books) appearing in  a general interest
publication and directed towards, or at least accommodating,
non-professionals, albeit non professionals with at least some basic
knowledge of music theory and history.  (I really wish that there was a
publication that was to music roughly what Scientific American is to science
. . .)  The article is something of a summary version of a longer piece
about the keyboard music of Bach and Handel in his new book, "Critical
Entertainments."

*Genius in Private*

   http://www.nybooks.com/nyrev/WWWfeatdisplay.cgi?20001221036F

Here is a link to an article in the current issue of New York Observer
about the NY Phil's scramble to replace Kurt Masur.  (For those of you
not familiar with the NYO, be warned - it's an irreverent, gossipy, and
extremely entertaining -- but nonetheless serious -- weekly chronicling
the foibles of the rich, powerful, famous, and trendy. . .)

*Having Retired the Great Masur, Philharmonic Can't Find Maestro*

   http://www.newyorkobserver.com/pages/frontpage4.asp

Enjoy!

Kathleen O'Connell