Bob Draper opens wide his mouth in astonishment again:

>I have been surprised at the way some list members are so obsessed
>with purchasing multiple copies of the same work in order to
>chase that dream of  a performance of absolute perfection.

It is true that some list members do like to purchase multiple copies of
the same work.  I enjoy studying the score while I compare performances,
too.  Call it my obsession if you will, but understand that I am not
alone in this harmless pursuit.  I do not do it to discover "absolute
perfection." I do it because I am interested in hearing different points of
view -- that's also one reason why I am here participating in an internet
discussion group.

You do us a disservice by characterizing us the way you do.  Doesn't
it occur to you that, just as one would want to hear several different
performances of Hamlet with different casts, in order to enjoy the
different nuances, one would also want to have at one's fingertips several
versions of the Bach WTC, several sets of the Beethoven symphonies,
quartets, and piano sonatas, not to mention the violin and piano sonatas,
several versions of Brahms chamber music, several versions of a favorite
opera.  In fact, if I had enough money, time, and space, I'd like to hear
EVERYTHING several times in several different ways!  I can't learn much
from just one quick exposure to a piece of music.

>For me classical music is a journey of exploration.  I want to peek into
>as many dusty corners as possible and dig out the gems to be found there.

And comparing performances does not rule out exploration of those dusty
corners either!

>Better to spend my money doing this than purchasing umpteen copies of
>Beethoven's ninth (for instance).

It's your money, and nobody should dare to tell you how to spend it.

>Surely it is somewhat parochial to stay with the same repertoire
>over and over. Also, dare I say that this attitude seems to be
>characterised by those who have fetish over Austro-German composers.

No and No.  You don't dare to say that, especially to me.  Not while I'm
holding my whip.

Mimi Ezust