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There is no question in my mind but that your new format is beautiful indeed. The print is easier to read; the additional space between the lines makes it look better. The pictures, illustrations, and overall look of the magazine are extremely attractive. But it appears that you have decided on a radical change in emphasis. It appears that the popular will dominate the serious, and this is, I believe, an error. I hope that you have not decided to end your interest in the serious music lover and trust that you will achieve a proper balance. Alan D. Aberback, President Western Canadian Opera Society Vancouver, B.C. The hedonism of the culture of rock and disco, recently dubbed the "me" culture, has swept America. In the record business, one major producer and importer after another has placed more emphasis on rock and disco LPs and tapes at the expense of classical music products. So it is no surprise that HF has moved where the money is, although it is a sad day for subscribers who counted on a different emphasis. Frederick S. Lightfoot, Greenport, N.Y. After the July issue, few readers seriously interested in music will continue to subscribe. Many of us spend a lot of money on records and equipment, but clearly that market no longer matters to you. BACKSEAT is now up front. The old I IF has died. The worst has happened. Ronald Silbrian, Birmingham, Mich. The most valuable part of HF, its high-quality reviews of serious music, has been shoved to the back and printed in small type. It is unfortunate that you have decided to abandon your fine traditions, but at least I need no longer worry about supporting your efforts. John Pfordresher, Falls Church, Va. ---------------- Coming in November 1979 Ambience Synthesis: A Symposium Six experts debate a little-understood audio phenomenon Video Recording State of the Art Tape's competing formats, the promise of discs, the impact on audio-a comprehensive wrap-up Video Software: Caveat Emptor How to avoid the rip-offs A Tribute to Walter Legge John Culshaw on the career of an illustrious fellow producer In Backbeat: Pop's Talent Headhunters Sam Sutherland penetrates the mystique of the a&r man ---------- In spite of your rapturous self-congratulations, I remain unmoved. What I see is not better, only slightly different. You have made the classic mistake of confusing change with progress. Furthermore, in the minor reshuffling of your format, you have actually denigrated the quality of your magazine. Richard Kent Suffern, N.Y. Why do you pretend to be merely making a few graphic improvements when you are actually changing the whole thrust of the magazine? Why do you lack the courage to tell the readers that your pursuit of profits obliges you to favor the pop and rock audiences over the classical audience? Terrence W. Faulkner; Rochester, N.Y. Now that the classical music section has been moved to the back of the book, why not call it BACKBURNER? Phil Shapiro; Los Angeles, Calif. Sorry to take issue with your paean of self-praise about your new graphic format, but to me what you have come up with is visual disco, and it gives me a headache. John Temple; Scituate, Mass.
... Drab, confusing, and hard on the eyes. Lawrence B. Porter , Nashville, Tenn. Being in a related business (principal of a design firm in New York), I am pleased to see your publication take an interest in its visual appearance. Sarina Bromberg should be proud of a job well done. Herbert M. Meyers New Rochelle, N.Y. The graphics have a cold, impersonal look to them. Comparing your old format to the new one is like comparing Mozart to Stravinsky (on an off day). The great areas of white space and the new type seem to me like trying to follow an ant in a blizzard. Allan Fetherol / Springfield, Ohio I think you have just taken a giant step backwards! The one positive item is that the increased spacing of the print in the classical reviews makes reading easier. David Adler, Clark, N.J. My reactions are favorable-the layout is more attractive and readable than before. The editorial content seems more extensive and even better written than in past issues. Thomas J. Hughel, Royal Oak, Mich. To these eyes, at least, this new creation has been designed to be looked at but not read. The dividing line between advertisements and editorial matter is now so hopelessly muddled that the poor reader has no idea what's being sold and what's not. And to add insult to injury for veteran readers like me, the important sections of the magazine have been consigned to the editorial boondocks. Michael H. Gray, Music Librarian. Voice of America Washington, D.C. I haven't even finished reading your July issue, and I already love it! I did read the two new columns and the editorial and enjoyed all three, especially Stephen Holden's "Potpourri"--I'm a longtime subscriber to Rolling Stone. Lee Smith; Albuquerque, N.M. You are to be congratulated for your fine effort to bring a new face to your magazine. The refreshing style makes it an even greater pleasure to receive HF every month. May your efforts be matched by your growth as a result of the new style. Edward T. Dwyer; Manahawkin, N. J. The editorial director comments: Those who wrote in response to my invitation in the July issue, whether to cheer or deplore our new format, had many things on their minds. But, as the selection here suggests, two chief themes emerge from the welter of varied reactions. The first is the assumption that HIGH FIDELITY is jettisoning classical music at the behest of the hip and buck-proud purveyors of pop. The springboard to this conclusion was principally BACKBEAT'S unaccustomed position forward of the feature articles and classical review section. Some readers even counted pages devoted to pop and to classical music (as if music could be divided into warring factions). None of them, as far as we can tell, came up with an accurate tally. If they had, it might have allayed some suspicions: In the July issue, more than 27 pages were devoted to classical music as against a total of 22 for all of BACKBEAT, music ami audio. That balance may be taken as symbolic. As for BACKSEAT's position in July, readers will already have noticed that in subsequent issues it is again to be found where its appellation implies it should bewhence it shall emerge, if at all, only when the editors deem that its contents merit a disturbance of the magazine's natural order. The second theme is the graphic change itself-praise or censure for the new, nostalgia or absence of regret for the old. Many of the "cons" seemed inspired by the malaise that inevitably accompanies change; many others contributed significantly to our own evaluation of our undertaking and our subsequent-and continuing-refinement of it. Some readers complained about type size, in particular that used in the feature and classical review sections, "The Tape Deck," and "Letters." (For those interested in such things, 8-point is the size both of the face previously used in these sections and of the one adopted in July, but the latter's "x-size character"--the index of a face's basic body size--is slightly smaller.) With this issue we are enlarging the size in these sections so that it is exactly equivalent to the former face. On behalf of all of the staff, thanks to everyone who wrote, both pro and conand please let us hear from you again in the months ahead. Your response demonstrates to us that HIGH FIDELITY'S readers, however dissimilar in convictions, interests, and tastes, are vitally concerned about the magazine. Cavpag Madman: Panned ... I used to look forward to Conrad L. Osborne's reviews, but with his "Diary of a Cavpag Madman" [June] your magazine has hit an all-time low. The cutesy-poo tone is nauseating, and some of the remarks about various performers go beyond legitimate criticism to out-and-out abuse. The article isn't even well written-and I never expected to have to say that about a C.L.O. piece! There are valid insights, but I wonder how many readers are going to wade through all that verbal mud to get to them. Please let this surreal experiment be the last of its kind. Brad Deamer, Buffalo, N.Y. As a writer of reviews, I can well understand Conrad L. Osborne's urge to go bananas every so often when faced with writing a review about a recording he is supposed to like by a supposedly likable tenor, when he doesn't like it or him at all. But I cannot understand your decision to publish such a piece. Mr. Osborne should have written his "diary," circulated it among a few close friends, gotten stoned, awakened the next day, and written a normal, succinct review. I hope he feels better. Art Jones; Virginian Pilot & Ledger-Star Norfolk, Va. ... and Praised "Diary of a Cavpag Madman" is the wittiest, best-written, and most sharply perceptive article to grace the pages of HIGH FIDELITY in many moons. Mr. Osborne demonstrates what unfortunately eludes all too many of his brothers-in-trade: that the sheer ability to write well is at least as important as any other ingredient in the making of a top-notch critic. Mark E. Landon; Newark, Calif. What a pity it is that space and funds do not permit (nor reader taste require) every music reviewer to provide, at regular intervals, an apologia such as that by Conrad L. Osborne. It is important, for posterity's sake, that someone say in print that today's hybrid, magic-of-the-studio performances do not preserve the experience of live opera in the latter half of the twentieth century. We (general and reviewing audiences alike) have taken the bait and acquired a rarefied taste that permits us to be content with good recordings rather than great music. John A. Bridges; Nashville, Tenn. Glazunov and Smetana I was captivated by R. D. Darrell's review of recordings of Smetana's Má Vast –July-. I too prefer idiomatic performances of the entire cycle of tone poems and agree that the Czechs seem to do it best. However, I am mystified that he failed to mention the stereo recording of the cycle by Karel Ancerl and the Czech Philharmonic available on Supraphon 50521/2. Aneerl draws from the orchestra the verve, spirit, and sense of national pride that make Má Vlast live and breathe. The recording itself boasts quiet surfaces, beautiful packaging, and clean sound. However, the sound is dated, and, frustratingly, there are no liner notes. Larry Garrison; Pine Bluff, Ark. I object to R. D. Darrell's idiotic review of the new Angel recording of Glazunov's Seasons [July]. There are as many "sophisticated youngsters" as there are "nostalgic oldsters" who enjoy this and other works of the eminent Russian composer. Why did Darrell have to arrive "willy-nilly" at the conclusion that Glazunov was a fine orchestrator? This is a fact that has always been acknowledged. His music, furthermore, is not as old-fashioned as a daguerreotype. Gad, I thought we were past such backbiting. Edward Westerman; Lincoln, Ill. Mr. Darrell replies: The best reply I can make to Mr. Westermann is to quote Ralph Waldo Emerson: "The only sin which we never forgive in each other is difference of opinion." I cannot argue with Mr. Garrison's evaluation of the Ancerl recording of Má Vast. Regrettably, I did not have it available at the time I was writing the review. Performance Practice I was suspicious that some sort of plot was afoot when I read Paul Henry Lang's remarks on countertenors in April, followed in July by his assault on all the early-music people in "Rigor Antiquarii: The Great 'Performance-Practice' Muddle." My suspicions were confirmed when, also in the July issue, I came upon Harris Goldsmith's hearty affirmation of Bach on the piano, changed harmonies and all. (But what a purist Mr. Goldsmith becomes when reviewing Beethoven, complaining about Busoni's "tasteless" cadenzas [in the Fourth Concerto] and a "corrupt text," with its "wrong bass note" (for the Lehewohl Sonatal.) Not that I object to these opinions being expressed, nor do I even necessarily disagree with them. But in fairness to the opposition, I suggest that HIGIH FIDELITY make amends. First, commission Gustav Leonhardt to arrange all the Beethoven piano sonatas for the harpsichord and record them. Second, lock Mr. Goldsmith up with his piano and a tape recorder while he records the twenty-seven Ordres of Francois Couperin from a corrupt text with no table of ornaments. Finally, send all the tapes to Paul Henry Lang for review. Richard Crandall; San Francisco, Calif. HIGH FIDELITY welcomes correspondence from its readers that falls within the scope of our coverage-music, recordings, audio componentry, and aspects of the general cultural milieu that relate to these. Letters may be edited in order to sharpen their sense and style and to pare their length, and we suggest therefore that correspondents confine themselves to 400 words. Please keep 'em comin' to the Editor, High Fidelity Magazine, The Publishing House, Great Barrington, Mass. 01230.
(High Fidelity, Oct. 1979) Also see: |