NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL

To the Editors of The Crimson:

Several weekends ago I traveled to Cambridge to visit a dear friend, Mr. Ron Melrose, a senior at your college. On Saturday, we shared seats on the Harvard side while my alma mater's team was ground into the muddy football field. Luckily, understanding companions and their pre-planned schedule of activities allowed me to forget the indignities of defeat.

That night, I was treated to a stunning performance by the soon-to-be-definitive Yo-Yo Ma. I found myself engulfed by his confidence, capabilities and professionalism. His handling of Shostakovich's composition was stupendous, to say the least, and I left the concert feeling completely invigorated. For that, I shall ask you to extend to him my congratulations and thanks. It appeared at the time that Yo-Yo Ma's performance was doubly impressive, first for this excellent solo and, second, because of his abilities in rising above the handicap of Mr. Neal Stulberg's horrid performance as conductor.

Today I received in the mail a quick note from Ron. With it, he included a copy of Ms. Audrey Ingber's review. After reading her statement, "Never overstating his movements, Stulberg achieved what he wanted by subtle proddings of the baton," I felt compelled to speak out against Ingber's editorial lie.

I will admit that upon his first entrance, Stulberg's brown-turtlenecked attire impressed me as representative of a healthy, interesting attitude toward his music. "At last," I thought, "I can enjoy a concert which is not overpowered by the conductor's flash of tuxedo and lace." Little did I know how wrong I was.

Stulberg's style of conducting I compare to Notre Dame Cathedral: gaudy and over-stressed. His on-stage undulations and contortions proved self-indulgent and upstaging. His blatant "wind ups" before delivery completely destroyed the subtleties and nuances of the composition. I half expected a spot light to suddenly hit Stulberg and to discover that yes, indeed, he did have taps on his shoes!

While an undergraduate at Dartmouth, I had the opportunity to stage manage Sir Georg Solti's Chicago Symphony Orchestra for three years in a row. On one occasion, Sir Georf and I talked at length about his style of conducting. He said that economics in movement was essential in the presentation of fine music. "Anything else," he said, "detracts from the concert and the music presented there."

This, I think, is a lesson Mr. Stulberg has yet to learn. There is a selflessness which must pervade a live performance of this sort: a respect for the composer and a pride among the assembled musicians who are allowed to produce beautiful music under an able conductor's direction. At no time should a concert become merely a vehicle for a conductor to show off his choreographic abilities with a series of bumps and grinds.

If Ms. Ingber actually did experience the concert, then her review of Mr. Stulberg was motivated by simple kindness. This, I suggest, is detrimental to your--or any--isolated academic environment. Such unwarranted flattery can only help to reinforce unhealthy or mistaken practices. All too soon will Mr. Stulberg discover the harsh and objective realities of the outside world. As a reviewer and a former reviewee, I would respectfully suggest that your reviewing and editorial staff understand that honest criticism of unhealthy traits, when used properly, can be an enhancement of the academic society and the learning experience. --Charles Carner