The Sound and the Fury Over KUSC : . . . COUNTERPOINT

“M ore Talk, Less Bach,” last Sunday’s story on KUSC-FM by Patrick Mott, has prompted an outpouring from readers . Those critical of the station’s revamped format outnumbered supporters by more than 2 to 1. A sampling of their views: So KUSC and the Smith-Grices have run afoul of Ernest Fleischmann and his cronies, who have absolutely no room to talk about treating Los Angeles’ classical music audience as “halfway morons.”

It was their insistence on dictating and controlling the classical scene that cost us Andre Previn and will probably cost us Esa-Pekka Salonen when he realizes the malaise that afflicts classical music in Los Angeles.

Classical music in all its shapes and forms belongs to the people. If KUSC is successful in introducing the joys of Johannes Brahms and the beauty of Hildegard von Bingen to a wider audience of “halfway morons,” more power to it. I am not currently a subscriber to KUSC, but your article has reminded me why I should be.

GEORGE SHIFFLER

Pasadena