Today I was searching for something on Amazon.com: a review of a recording I was listening to. I do this from time to time, as I value the opinions of others, and frankly, Amazon isn't a bad place to find opinions. So, I found some comments online by a guy who didn't much care for Manze's playing. He gave him credit for being an "academic," but not a "professional." I am not sure I agree with the terms used, but I did agree with some points. I found Manze's recording of Biber's Rosary Sonatas a tad anemic, if not down-right boring at times. It also seems that this guy and I both reserve admiration for Musica Antiqua Köln's recordings. What surprised me was some of the sharp "attacks" against this guy for his opinion. Does it make sense that everyone has the same opinion about something? On something as subjective as a musical performance? What seemed inconceivable to these folks was that someone could have a differing opinion. They characterized it as a "vendetta" against the performer. Granted, the folks defending Manze were really strong supporters. They wrote as fanatics, themselves. My impression was that whatever Manze put out on Harmonia Mundi, they'd love it. The passion everyone seems to pour into their opinions is good, I think. What a wonderful place the Internet has become for music lovers to express their opinions. What a great place to see reactions, with opportunities to disagree, agree, or have your own unique reaction. Yet, I too lament the close mindedness we see when someone is convinced that one person's opinion is simply dead wrong. Sometimes opinions do reflect wrongs in the world. This rendition by the Jarrett Trio of "Green Dolphin St." that I'm listening to right now is really good. It's happy, celebratory music of the highest order. But music is such a personal, subjective entity, I believe, too. You might not like jazz. You might have a more favorite rendition of this standard. You might find the performance fine, but the work sloppy and lacking. What motivates someone to suggest, online in front of the world stage, that someone who differs in opinion has no right to give fewer stars, or disagree with us? It is tantalizing, I think, to find others that see the world as we do. It can also be scary to find everyone may not see the world as we do. Opinions are always valuable as perspectives.