Donald Satz wrote: >I haven't noticed any recent differences, athough I don't often buy DG >orchestral discs. I can't say I do either, but I have heard a DG / Abbado recording of the "Midsummer Night's Dream" Overture by Mendelssohn. The opening violin pixie-patter (or whatever) sounds very muted on this recording, in my opinion. It seems to sound flatter even than an old LP of the same works under Ormandy on RCA - and that despite the latter item being old and visibly bent. It's currently being pressed flat under a large pile of books! The sound of Karajan's recordings, though, cannot be faulted - the clarity accentuates further the lines that the conductor brings out well anyway. I think somebody already said that, though....... Sam Kemp