Richard Pennycuick wrote:

>Some months back, I eventually had to ask about Borders.  I now need to
>know about Lebrecht.  It's not clear just who the man is, but it seems that
>his opinions are, for the most part, passionately derided and people might
>say I'm fortunate not to have encountered his - whatever it is I haven't
>encountered.

Upon Dave's orders I will not call Norman Lebrecht a whining, snivelling,
sour grape eating, muckraking idiot.  Instead I will opine that he is an
overly opinionated (now that's calling the kettle black isn't it!) music
and arts critic with an axe to grind with nearly everyone.  He loves to
write voluminous vats of vitriol against anyone and anything in the music
business that has had more success than he.  His is the only book (The
Maestro Myth) that I have ever returned to a bookstore in my life.  I
was completely insulted.  His latest tome attacks the concert management
industry.  If you like supermarket tabloids, you've found a winner.  To his
credit, he is eloquent and despite the fact that I disagree with just about
every word he says, his books hold your interest.

Kevin Sutton