extreme example again (??)

It seems to me that this topic of "interpretation" or intent should not
necessarily be winding down, as some people seem to think it should. It
is a crucial musical issue and almost deserves it's own Internet list!!
I've been amazed at some of the posts going back to the Margo Schulter
comments on the Renaissance.

However, perhaps I have been missing something. Has there been any comment
of late on the Johnny Reinhard/Dean Drummond, Danlee Mitchell controversy
concerning Partch performances??

As I'm certain many of you are aware, there is this extreme example of
Partch and his "designated curators" not wanting his music performed on
instruments other than the originals, and Johnny Reinhard's performances
using synthesizer to replace certain instruments (was it the chromelodeon
-- I can't remember?...)

In any case, in one instance you have the "practicality" of getting the
music out to a wider public, (I guess the Kronos quartet Partch is another
example that got excoriated) as opposed to the true "intent" of the
composer -- which in Partch's case was certainly very clear... (and
extreme)

My question is how this fits into "contemporary" performance practice.
What IS our performance practice today? If we look back into history, as
Schulter has, and we find particular tunings for any given time, what is
our practice today?? Are we basically 12-tET, meaning that ANYTHING
including Partch can be slammed into that framework (as one listee recently
suggested)... or does our modern period really have MANY different
concurrent tunings. [Or are we dreaming, and alternate tunings are really
only that -- experimental and "alternate??"]

And what do we do about Bach, Machaut and others?... If we are to proceed
according to M. Schulter we will be taking the Harry Partch approach. If
we don't use the original instruments and tunings we shouldn't be
performing the music at all... There certainly would be a lot fewer
performances of these composers this way....

It is imazing to me how these practices cut across all time and space --
Partch, Machaut and Bach all in the same bed, so to speak. (Ahem...)

Please illuminate...

Joseph Pehrson