Why is it that when I read in the contents at the top of the daily
Digest an item on

> Subject: Rachmaninoff Ampico Performances on Telarc CD (Douglas Henderson)

I have to brace myself because I _know_ it is going to be negative?

For two days now we have endured more of the SOS  (same old stuff)
from Douglas Henderson: first negative comments from him backed up by
criticism by some Edward Russell, who is neither a member/participant
in MMD nor a known critic.  Then a day later, Douglas gives us the
full-blown treatment on his own.

Peculiarly, any contributions ever made by Douglas Henderson, including
letters to me, have always been along one of two lines: either bashing
the work of others or an unbearably long, rambling discourse that is
really only self-serving palaver about his own work.  This last letter
included both: knocking Wayne Stahnke's work and at the same time,
Douglas attempts to build himself up as a recognized authority.

There are hundreds of us readers/participants in MMD who look forward
to the daily digest and are in love with our machines, whether they be
pneumatic player pianos, solenoid MIDIs, expensive Violanos or $30
toys;  what we all have in common is a passion for these instruments
and the music they make; all of us enjoy participating in a healthy,
developmental manner and helping each other.  And, almost always, we
are positive.

But one of us, Douglas Henderson, always stands out as a critic of
others.  He likes to tell us of inability of American Piano Company
to turn out any real quality on its Ampico rolls.  He alerts us to
the "fact" that Gershwin did not actually perform the Gershwin rolls,
nor did any other major composers or world-renowned performers at
Duo-Art -- all of that effort was done fraudulently by Rudy Erlebach,
Robert Armbruster, or other lowly staff members.

He advises us that these original manufacturers of reproducing rolls
created the 1920s equivalent of "elevator music".   Now he tells us
that he doesn't like the tone of Wayne Stahnke's Boesendorfer Imperial
piano, he doesn't think the Ampico rolls were much good,  and in short,
he'd prefer to listen to his audio tapes of old Victor recordings.

I have never voiced my opinion of Douglas Henderson's negativity
before, nor his puffery of his own piano roll efforts, or his museum,
or any other of his activities; but now, after two days straight of
this rubbish, I have to ask: is it necessary to knock everything
produced by others in order to inflate one's own life's work (and
one's ego)?

On the subject of life's work: Wayne Stahnke, in contrast, has always
been positive and helpful to others while at the same time making major
contributions for both commercial and experimental purposes, to the
field of mechanical reproduction of piano music.  If you are reading
this, Wayne, keep up the good work, and don't listen to the negativity.

And finally to Douglas: you seem to be a reasonably bright and talented
person.  If it is possible, I hope you will harness your abilities and
limit them to positive activities.  People who only criticize are not
taken seriously, and those who constantly show they have an ax to grind
are eventually regarded as some kind of nut and become DISregarded in
time.  Until you can give positive contributions to the rest of us
(other than regarding your own work), why don't you keep your opinions,
and those of non-subscribers, to yourself.

Tom Steuer