Donald Satz wrote:

>To digress a little, I'm not aware of any composer's early works which
>are as masterful and enjoyable as the Beethoven opus 5 cello sonatas.
>...  Any list members out there who have a special affection for the an
>early work or set of works of a particular composer?

I've been listening recently to two other early Beethoven works, his
string trios, Op.  9, #'s 1 and 3.  String trios are remarkably ignored,
with the exception of course of Mozart's K563.  The more I listen to these
two Beethoven works, the more amazing they seem to me.  Of course, this
impression might be influenced by the fact that the recording I'm listening
to is by Heifetz-Primrose-Piatagorsky.  Can anyone listen them fly through
the last movement of Op.9 #1 while breathing normally? IMHO, that part
alone represents one of the shining moments of recording history.

Michael Stein