I suppose that audiences for early music are drawn partly from aficionados (mostly fellow early musicians) and people who are just curious. I have come across 'classical musicians' who come along to patronise and sneer - not many, but enough to drizzle on the performers' parade. The sort of bozo that comes to mind says "Why are people playing harpsichords when pianos are SO much better?". You'd have thought this attitude would have disappeared decades ago, but . . .
I don't have any answers I'm afraid. Bill -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html