Amidst the talk of critics, live vs. recorded music, and the output of
Otto Klemperer, I was quietly gathering all the cds I could of this great
conductor.

Fortunately, the Berkshire Record Outlet.  had a HUGE selection of
Klemperer's output and I just received ALL of the Beethoven symphonies, all
of the Schumann symphonies, some Wagner, some Berlioz and another Brahms to
make complete all of my Brahms symphony collection.  I have other prized
Klemperer recordings in my collection.

A few weeks back, I was asking about the orchestras he used because their
sound was so wonderful.  Super musicians!

This conductor has always meant a lot to me.  I don't THINK it is only
nostalgia that is producing my goosebumps when I hear his Beethoven's
Seventh.  I don't think it's only the memory of being at the Academy of
Music in the early '60's to catch every performance of the adored and
respected Klemperer conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra.  It can't be the
image of this feeble man who trembled and could barely control his hands
working some magic over the musicians and producing the most AMAZING
chamber-like playing I had ever heard from them.

No.  The evidence is here, on the cds I finally own.  Klemperer is not
the only conductor I adore, but he is up there at the top of my list.
His Schumann is thrilling, his Beethoven symphonies majestic, and his
Brahms symphonies are the way I'd conduct them if I could.  Today I'll
listen to his Wagner orchestral music, his unforgettable Mozart symphonia
concertante, the Brahms violin concerto, and be grateful that this great
conductor had a fine orchestra, excellent soloists, great engineers and
equipment, and a record company that is remaindering his output so greedy
people like me can snap up these gems for only a little bit of what they
are really worth.

Mimi