Well, I should never have visited Amoeba Used Records in SF....

Biber--Missa Salisburgensis, DG/Goebel-McCreesh:  Why? I found the cover
picture of the Salzburg Cathedral just too beautiful.  What fun music!
The first full-ensemble Kyrie, (after the distant opening fanfares),
was startling--I'm sure that wigs were popping during the premiere!
Critics thought the piece a little C trumpet-redundant, but I found the
progressions in the fanfares to be plenty interesting and diverse and the
more intimate moments entirely fetching.  Don't be lead to believe that the
players outline C Major triads all day--Biber's music is *not* Bruckner.:)
Then I happened to catch the review of Biber's Violin Sonatas w/ Manze,
(top 50 Baroque CD of all time?), and guess what Amoeba had for $14.95?

Mozart--Requiem, Sony/Weil.  I happened to hear samples of this in a
CD store called Hear Music ("Welcome--please select from our wonderful
stock of 3 CDs we have this month....") It sounded like a very earnest
and intense performance, and that it is.  Weil uses a boy choir, (the
Tolzer),and I like how their sound compliments the authentic instruments
of Tafelmusik.  Again, a *riveting* performance.

Bach--Christmas Oratorio, DHM/Schmidt-Gaden:  Speaking of the Tolzer Boy's
Choir, they are employed once again, to excellent advantage, IMHO; both
as a choir and sop.  soloists.  A Gramophone reviewer said he received
tremendous enjoyment from this "glowing and warm" performance, and those
are the words I always like to hear.  There is mention about sloppy brass
playing, but I listened carefully, and there is nothing too awful, (I've
heard the VPO and Berlin do worse!), I would say a little cautious perhaps;
but the boy soprano aria, CD 1 track 12, "Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen"
guarantees that the Schmidt-Gaden will stay in my collection.  It's
available at Berkshire Music Outlet as well.

Faure--complete piano music, Hyperion/Catheryn Stott: 4 CD's for $24.95.
Need I say more?

Nielsen--Symphony 3 and 6, Finlandia/Saraste:  Saraste, hmmm...he gets a
lot of lukewarm reviews, but I really like his take on the Nielsen 4 and
5--wonderful pacing and inflection and dedicated playing from the FRSO.
Looking forward to these performances.  And, BTW, *I* have no problem with
the 6th Symphony--wonderful and creative Allegretto.  Beautiful CD cover
as well.

Other acquisitions include the Handel and Geminiani Concerto Grossi
w/Manze, Rousett doing Bach's Italian Concerto, (got a Rosette in Penquin),
the Ginastera String Quartets on Elan, (have *no* idea, but love his
Panambi Ballet), and Corelli Trio Sonatas with the Purcell Quartet on
Chandos--recommended highly in Gramophone, and, of course, Ameoba had
to have them available used....

Oh well, I'm broke, but happy!

John Smyth