On my PC the "messages since last visit" facility always freezes up, so I never use it. I'd sooner rely on the Tracer to keep track of threads I'm following.

So for me anyway it makes no difference how many posts there are to threads - except of course that threads which get lots of posts stay up the top of the page. If I feel like looking for a music thread, I just scroll to the bottom and start from there, and maybe save one that's been overlooked from vanishing of the page.

I think that 70% music threads in a time like last weeks is pretty incredible. What is often in short supply isn't music threads as such, it's music threads that turn into music discussions, but then that is always the case.

I think that more of us should use our imagination in crafting our posts sometimes - put in links to other relevant threads, especially music ones, and so forth. If we quote a song, stick a link to it, and so forth.

As for Bill Broonzy's view on Stravinsky, I'd actually be interested in knowing that, if he got round to expressing them. In fact all of Peter T's - Modes? What Bill Broonzy thought about Igor Stravinsky? Counterpoint in bluegrass? The provenance of handbills in early 19th century Dublin? struck me as interesting, if esoteric. What's wrong with esoteric anyway?

As I took his point, Peter was indicating scepticism at the assumption that there has been an exodus of all the people who might be interested in such topics. I'm sceptical about it too. There's a turnover of people from time to time, but that's not the same thing.

If "the serious music people" have moved on somewhere that is better for that kind of stuff, I'd be grateful to know where that might be, because I've never found it.