To the Editor of THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE:-
I was saddened by your front page headline in the May 11 Eagle announcing the end of the "Morning pro Musica" program on WAMC.

My sadness was, in honesty, not necessarily all about Robert J. Lurtsema's departure, but more about the progressive cutting down of classical music on WAMC and the substitution of endless talk shows.

Coincidentally, in a similar space on page one of the May 11 New York Times, there is a picture of the violinist Isaac Stern who was invited by the interim chancellor of New York schools to play for the superintendents in hopes that "they would make music instruction a higher priority."

Should we really believe that the millions who faithfully follow Met broadcasts and support symphony orchestras can be satisfied with hearing less and less classical music, or, heaven forefend, will rise to protest a whole opera or
symphony on public radio?  Should our children not have the opportunity to hear the finest of classical music at a convenient listening time? 

Thank God for WMHT, where some of us are lucky enough to hear good music for most of the day. 

MANFRED H. HECHT
Lenox, May 11, 2000
©2000 by MediaNews Group, Inc. and New England Newspapers, Inc.  Reproduced here without permission.