Tim Mahon wrote:

>In one of his many recent postings, Don Satz asked us to ruminate
>on an 8 CD set of Bach concertos and overtures/suites from Naxos,
>implying they would be second rate because of the modern instruments
>they're played on.

Second rate? I never used a term like that; I just said it would be 8 hours
of "modern instrument terror".  My meaning was that to me and others of
similar preference who find modern string instruments for baroque works
distasteful, it would be a very unpleasant 8 hours of listening.  This is
not a case of period instruments being first-rate and modern instruments
second-rate.  For my personal taste concerning baroque music, modern
instruments aren't on the screen.

>My point is, should we necessarily disregard another cycle of hoary
>old favorites merely because it doesn't 'fit' what seems to be a recent
>trend toward favoring HIP?

Where does "we" come from? Each of us only makes "I" decisions.  I think
it's all fairly simple.  You listen to baroque works on modern instruments
and period instruments, and you decide which you prefer.  If you like them
both, listen to both.  I do not like the modern instrument regime and
listen to it as little as possible.  It would make no difference to me
whether the 8 cd set of modern instrument recordings of Bach's orchestral
works were on Naxos, Hyperion, Sony, or any other label - it would still
be unpleasant.  But, second rate? That's for each modern instrument fan
to determine based on the quality of the performances.

Don Satz
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