John Dalmas writes:

>Don Satz, in his over view of recordings of J.S. Bach's Suites for
>Unaccompanied Cello, Part 1, states that he is unfamiliar with the two
>recordings with viola, and then proceeds (before his updates) to pan the
>viola recording by Barbara Westphal and praise to the skies the
>viola recording by Patricia McCarty.  How does unfamiliarity breed
>contempt on the one hand and adoration on the other.

Perhaps John is getting off track based on the fact that I do not write a
Part of a review all at one time.  I write my introduction before I start
listening to anything - I write up the review of the Prelude immediately
after listening to every version of the Prelude - and so on.  In other
words, I don't know what's ahead until I get there.  So, when I stated
my unfamiliarity with the viola versions, I had not heard one note of
any music on either set.  When I re-read some of my review postings, I
notice that at times I'm writing very seriously while at other times I'm
feeling humorous.  That's because I'm writing on different days.  I hope
this clears up the confusion.  What you get is the Satz Chronological
Progression, although I often go back to what I wrote on a previous day
to see if it needs any revising for purposes of decent writing or in case
I've changed my views.

John and others have indicated that they would have liked me to review
particular Cello sets which I have not included.  I also would have liked
to review them, but I don't have them.  On the other hand, I feel that I
have a healthy cross-section of available sets.  Most important, I'm having
a pleasureable and enlightening time listening to and writing about the
sets I do have; that's why I do it.

Don Satz
[log in to unmask]