Barrett Reynolds wrote:

>Anyway, I suppose the first question I'd like to pose to this group
>is, what pieces comprise your absolute musical zenith?

Hi Barrett!  That would be a tough one for me because there are a great
number of works that I cherish.  If you're new to classical music, I
imagine you want to explore quite a bit.  My advice is to buy bargain
to mid priced cds and buy lots of them.  That way you can jump into
classical music without draining your wallet, and explore a great deal.
You might want to try Seraphim and Sony Essential Classics.  There are
many great recordings on those labels with some great performances.  If
you don't have any guides to classical music I would recommend The NPR
Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection by Ted Libbey.  Another great
resource is http://www.classical.net/.  Those two sources were very
helpful for me in the past.  I should stress that you have decades to
listen to this music so you don't have to feel in a rush to leave no
stone unturned in the realm of classical music.

ps The other people on this list are quite knowledgeable.  This email
list is a great resource on its own!

David Whitbeck