I just have to vent some of my frustration regarding the PBS "American Masters" presentation of Juilliard. While it was a high-quality documentary, and it was wonderful to see and hear the magnificence of the School, I have to take serious issue with the priorities of the presentation. Anyone watching will have concluded that Juilliard is a drama school with an extended dance department, and also running a small music section. This is completely misleading, as the School was basically a music academy that eventually developed into other areas. The amount of time and scope spent on music was minimal. While we got to know all the dance and drama faculty, we didn't hear a word from professors of the magnitude of Beveridge Webster, Adele Marcus, Joe Raieff, Bernard Wagenaar, Norman Lloyd, Robert Mann, Joe Allard, John Mehegan, etc. Let us not forget, it was music that made Juilliard what it is! As an alumnus, I resent the fact that, once again, the essence of an entity is being distributed to secondary areas in favor of popularism.

BALAZS MONOKI
(B.S. '67, piano)
Rego Park, N.Y.

The PBS show on Juilliard last night was terrific! I found it utterly absorbing and very entertaining. Diane Venora doing Anna Sokolow had me laughing out loud. And Marian Seldes -- and Robin Williams doing Marian Seldes -- was a treat.

Though I'm probably prejudiced, I thought that a little more historical overview might have been nice. I worry that people who have only a passing acquaintance with the School's history wouldn't have a clue as to who was this "Bill Schuman" that everyone was talking about.

And there were some odd gaps: nothing on opera, nothing on the Juilliard String Quartet (worth a program of its own), and a little lopsided in favor of drama and dance as opposed to music, which is still what most of the students are there for.

Still, minor quibbles. I'm thrilled someone has taken these oral histories while memories are still fresh. It will be a fascinating historical document on its own in time.

STEPHEN E. NOVAK (Juilliard's former archivist)
Head, Archives & Special Collections
Columbia University, Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library

I was so moved by the program about Juilliard. The money I had hoped to… [contribute to Juilliard someday] … will surely be a part of my gift to the School for the incredible gift I have had from the education there. It was so inspiring to see the students working so hard to realize their potential, and I want to be able to encourage that in the future. Thank you for this great story.

TOM HARDISON
(B.S. '59, M.S. '60, piano)

I want to know why Juilliard orchestras tend to perform sloppy, uninspired, and underprepared concerts without even a sentence in response in The Juilliard Journal. Roger Norrington crafted a unique performance that was entirely his own, and at the same time made the orchestra sound better than it had for the entire year. In return, he got two slaps in the face (Letters to the Editor, February issue) from people who obviously didn't attend any of the rehearsals or the wonderful concert at Carnegie Hall. Well, the beginning and the end were beautiful, but Norrington's splendid idea for the Beethoven concerto (in which the pianist becomes a working member of the ensemble, instead of a spot-lit celebrity up front) was shot down in favor of the so-called traditional way. This, paired with Norrington's light interpretation in the orchestra, made for an unbalanced and gritty sound, not to mention his inability to keep tempos up to his standards. His Brahms, on the other hand, crackled with excitement, and rightly so. By inviting us to experiment with him, Norrington single-handedly provided Juilliard orchestral musicians with something that is rare indeed -- a truly worthwhile and educational experience.

JARED SOLDIVIERO
Juilliard master's candidate in percussion

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