Seeking Excellence

Paraphrasing Jonathan Dobrer’s words (“One Man’s Music,” Sept. 20), it seems to me that there are some music-lovers who are apparently able to adjust their “perfectly tuned critical sensibilities to popular, middle-brow entertainment.”

As for Martin Bernheimer, how lucky we are that he cannot--or does not want to! Isn’t the general public entitled once in a while to a certain degree of refinement of their tastes? Isn’t this something that most people want to do anyway?

Yes, Bernheimer bites. He takes upon himself the unthankful task of a catalyst. He stings, but at the same time he is perfectly human, whom this fan does not find to be “perpetually petulant and unhappy” but who perceives behind his often biting words a half-hidden, quite benevolent person with a finely pulsating joie de vivre . This is indicated by his slightly tongue-in-cheek-style, polished choice of words.

It is true that only very few performers find grace in his eyes but, although we may dislike too much perfection rubbed on us, isn’t it also true that a lot of trouble in our world is caused by lack of, or lack of drive toward, excellence?

Martin Bernheimer--so choosy, so picky--criticizing even the most outstanding artists and performers, may be a pain in the neck for many, but what he is really attempting to do is to spur on toward even higher results. This is to be appreciated in today’s society, where too often mediocrity prevails or, rather, seems to suffice.

ELAN ODELL

Laguna Hills