Jim Tobin writes:

>in general, prestige--in certain circles at least--may adhere to small
>labels prepared to risk all for musical quality as they see it, but which
>are not household names.  But if musical values are what you are looking
>for you may find them in surprising places.

I suppose that Naxos can hardly be characterized as small label, but that
great enterprise has certainly found musical values in surprising places.
In fact one great contribution of Naxos has been to show how arbitrary and
constricted the Star System had become.  There are at least a half dozen
excellent conductors, the same number of fine pianists, several other
instrumentalists and chamber groups who were not even blips on the American
radar screen before they appeared on Naxos.  And many a "provincial"
orchestra has turned out a fine performance, completely demolishing myths
about the falloff once you get beyond the big five American orchestras.
The repertory has been as adventurous as anyone could ask for.  And, as
a final payoff, a Naxos cd costs less than a night at the movies.

B Chasan