Marco Polo has dropped its prices to the mid- range, as I just read on
the Records International site
(http://www.recordsinternational.com/RICatalogApr04.html).  Not quite
as cheap as its cousin label Naxos, yet close enough to half their usual
price to gladden my heart.

I saw two CDs at the new price yesterday, yet half-feared some labelling
mistake.  Not so: an actual drop.  Oh, frabjous day, Callooh, Callay!

The one I bought at this price just yesterday was Igor Markevitch's
orchestration of J.S. Bach's 'Musical Offering.' Very nice choice indeed:
actually for 3 orchestral groups and solo violin, transverse flute, cello
and harpsichord.  Remy Baudet (violin), Hans van Loenen (transverse
flute), Jeroen Reuling (cello), Dirk Luijmes (harpsichord), Arnhem
Philharmonic Orchestra cond.  Christopher Lyndon-Gee.  (Complete
Orchestral Music, Vol.  7) Marco Polo 8.225120

It may be my passion for just about anything by Bach that's hooked me,
but this CD's a delight.  I'm still struggling for 'the musical sense'
in Markevitch's 'Flight of Icarus,' for 2 pianos and percussion -- the
model, I gather, for Bartok's Sonata for the same ensemble.  (Played,
I see, by the same Lyndon-Gee, on Largo) Anyway, no difficulty at all
with *this* Markevitch.

Strongly recommended.  Any compositions by Markevitch you'd like to
recommend?

Bert Bailey