Of two minds on Bernheimer

Thank you, Mark Swed. Your remembrance of Martin Bernheimer was stunning [“A critic who transformed criticism: Martin Bernheimer was a law unto himself for 30 years as The Times’ classical writer,” Oct. 2].

Your summary of the history and impact of Martin’s work at the L.A. Times was immensely interesting. But even more significant to me was how you also interwove your own personal life into the narrative. As a result, I have a much clearer image of what makes you tick. Thank you for your candid and refreshingly intimate reflections. Denis Moreen Palm Springs

I write in response to Mark Swed’s mean-spirited obituary of Martin Bernheimer. I took a course in music criticism from Mr. Bernheimer in 1981 at USC. The class turned out to be the highest-quality instruction I received in the School of Music.

Mr. Bernheimer never once commented on the appearance of the USC women taking the course, the women on the USC campus in general, or the women we discussed as performing artists in the coursework. He was never inappropriate and he treated the students with respect, dignity and kindness. This made Bernheimer a standout at a time when it was customary and accepted that men professors and adjunct faculty routinely tried to “date” female students, showed up at student parties off-campus, commented during class and outside of class on the appearance and apparel of female students, and dangled the prospects of employment before starving and hopeful students trying to get a toehold as professional musicians. Christina Cole Chandler, Ariz.