Deryk Barker wrote concerning my Gardiner preference:

>I take it you've not heard his Beethoven cycle?

Deryk takes it wrong.  Would any major Gardiner fan not have his Beethoven
cycle? That would be very disloyal.  I've heard it, bought it, and love it.
In fact, Gardiner's set renewed my interest in the Beethoven symphonies
along with Harnoncourt.  Prior to Gardiner, I felt burned out on each of
the symphonies except for no. 8 which I never appreciated much.

I'm even going to obtain Gardiner's new recording of Mendelssohn's last two
symphonies in the hope that Gardiner can help me appreciate works that have
left me flat in the past.

Wait a minute!  Isn't Deryk the man who has every recorded performance
of every Beethoven symphony? He's a heavy hitter, but I possess a wicked
slider and I'm very devious with it.  I've learned that when in the company
of superior subject knowledge, being tricky is my only salvation.

Don Satz
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