Don Satz wrote a very thoughtful post about

>...the motivation of anti-hip folks who attack the foundations of the HIP
>movement.

and was concerned that:

>4.  The debunking, at its most insipid, leads to silly comments and
>projections and devious questions, many of them voiced on this list.  At
>its worst, the debunking and lack of respect leads to a friction within
>the classical music community, one which this small community can hardly
>afford.

As one who recently posted a facetious query about authentic vacuum
cleaners and the like, I may well be on Don's list of debunkers,
although as he didn't name names, perhaps not.  I did not intend to
debunk.  I attempted with that post to lighten what, like Don, I saw as an
increasingly hostile debate, but perhaps he was not amused by it although
I know others were.  That's fine.  FWIW, let me attempt to run my colours
up the mast.

I remember being thrilled by performances of the Beethoven symphonies
that the BBC recorded for the bicentenary in 1970.  These used the
original number of strings but were played on modern instruments.  IIRC,
the conductor was James Lockhart.  Unfortunately, AFAIK, they were not
issued commercially.  Later, I was very taken with the Hogwood AAM
versions of the early Mozart symphonies.  Later still, I enjoyed the Roger
Norrington Beethoven symphonies even in lo-fi TV sound.  A latent HIP
enthusiast, you would think.

What irritated me a great deal was Norrington's commentary, interesting
though much of it was.  The common theme was that authentic instruments,
as the phrase then was, were the *only* way to go and that many years of
performing tradition, while worthy, were now suspect.  I felt patronised -
I was happy to listen to his opinions, but I was damned if I was going to
be told what to think.  Regrettably, this same attitude persists with
*some* - I stress SOME - other articles I've read about HIP but let me
spell it out - I'm not referring to anyone on the list.  So while Don sees
a lack of respect for the position of the HIP enthusiast - and there is
evidence to support him in this view - it is equally valid for those who do
not like HIP or who have mixed feelings about it to have their opinions
treated with respect as well.

I am not anti-HIP.  Neither am I a total convert.  I have written posts
enthusing about HIP CDs I have bought.  I have heard some wonderful HIP
performances and others that have bored me rigid.  I can't handle the sound
of the fortepiano - I just don't like it.  This is not to say that I will
*never* like it.  I take from HIP what I like or what I need, and I reserve
judgment on the rest.  I imagine there are others like me.  Likewise, I
take from CM what I like or what I need, and I reserve judgment on the
rest.  I don't say that because I don't like it or agree with it, then it's
valueless.  There are still others who love HIP unreservedly.  I have no
problem with that and neither should I.

Don again:

>I really don't know what the answer might be to any of this.  Perhaps one
>day these negative types will see the light (preferences remain the same,
>but respect for the other postion increases), but I'm not holding my
>breath in anticipation.  It's just rather sad.  As Mimi mentioned,
>there's plenty of room for *all* perferences and views, but there are
>many holdouts who don't agree.

This goes beyond the HIP debate to the core of MCML's existence.  Whether
we live in big cities or, as I do, in a very small country town, our
opportunities for chewing the fat with other CM enthusiasts are limited and
that's why we're here, is it not? Each of us, from those with years of
music practice and experience and training to those who are putting their
toes in the water, has something to contribute and each of us can learn.
OK, I'm stating the obvious, but we have better things to do than engage in
slanging matches over this or that like or dislike.  I cite as examples of
doing the same thing with great good humour Mimi's two recent demolition
jobs which made my glasses steam up with laughter.  I worry too that there
are many on the list who contribute rarely or not at all, and who are not
encouraged by some of the point scoring that occurs.

When I first joined the list, I was told that I would make some good
friends.  I have done so, and I feel that MCML has enriched my life a great
deal.  But hey, let's ask ourselves occasionally if we don't sometimes take
ourselves a bit too seriously?

Richard Pennycuick
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