I often hear music lovers of the older generation bemoan the death of great conducting as a kind of self-evident truth, referring to Furtwängler, Toscanini, Walter, Klemperer, Beecham, Reiner et al as representing a golden era that will never be repeated. Those of the younger generation however, including my pianist daughter, appear to have no such regrets, and while not ignoring great performances of the past, simply place them in their historical context as the styles and conventions of the day. So, is there really any truth to this belief, or are its adherents just showing their age?