OK pianoforum people...

[liszt1022]

What's up with every other thread becoming a forum for personal attacks? People have differening opinions, deal with it.

1. If someone doesn't like a piece you like, OR loves a piece you hate, that's their opinion. Don't attack the person, that's silly.

2. Same goes for interpretational preferences. If someone's recording is of a pianist who doesn't adhere to every performance indication in the score, but the person loves the recording, don't knock it.

3. "Best/Favorite" lists are subjective. I'm sick of people making negating comments about someone else's lists.

4. Anyone who likes piano music, and anyone who tries to share piano music (EVEN those with faulty technique!) should be praised. Piano is doomed if we only listen to the "perfect" and the "best" recordings.

and if I've broken any of the above, I apologize.
Sometimes I feel sad for the future of piano music because some people only seem to care about exactness. The spirit of the piece is what matters more than anything, not Hanon. Those kinds of people are what make piano music seem exclusive and elite. So what if someone's introduction to piano music is David Helfgott and Shine? If you tell that person "Yeah, well he sucks" then that person might as well stop listening, and we've lost one. The piano community lacks the ability to share the common goal of spreading music, and we've got to come together or piano is history.

[SteinwayTony]

It's interesting that you mention that, Liszt.  When I read the "favorite composer," "favorite pianist," "favorite piece" types of threads, I obviously have my opinions and other people have theirs.  I should also add that I am a stoic jerk.  That being the case, I love to challenge people on their opinions, for two main reasons.  The first, of course, is my ego (I don't think I have to comment on that).  And the second reason is the thought that if I bring somebody to realize that they only consider Liszt the "greatest composer ever" because they think La Campanella is "pretty," well, maybe I am doing them a service by pointing out that the logic behind their opinion is flawed and that they like something for the wrong reason. 

Human nature is to argue; people like to win.  Considering your apparent affinity for Liszt, I'm surprised you aren't aware of that.  A Utopian Piano Forum doesn't seem feasible at all.  Can you imagine a thread entitled "Top 50 Composers Ever" where people just kept listing their Top 50 all day long, without anybody challenging anybody else?  Might as well serve me some warm milk and sing me a lullaby. 

I think that I have a right to express my negative opinion of an interpretation just as everybody has a right to express their positive opinions of an interpretation.  What's the difference?  Just because I don't like it, I have to keep my mouth shut because...I might hurt some feelings?  Remember: I'm stoic.  Stoic people don't care about feelings.  Especially the feelings of others.

[lenny]

the simon cowell of the piano world 

debates are part of the fun of the forum, as long as they dont devolve into arguments then whats the problem?

i ahvent seen many real arguments here, especially compared to other places ive been online

[liszt1022]

It's not about challenging opinion, it's about saying "You're an idiot for thinking that."

[SteinwayTony]

I don't recall any thread that's gotten that out of hand.  I certainly wouldn't make a personal insult toward someone who just has a different opinion than me.  So since this is a "minority" issue, why dedicate an entire thread to it and say that "every other thread" ends up like that?