I wrote:

>>The British bias has worried me for years...

and Steve Schwartz replied:

>I *liked* the "British bias." I mean, at least I found out something
>about the musical scene outside my own country.

I think we're at cross-purposes.  I didn't mean, as I think Steve did,
that the magazine has/had a bias towards reviewing recordings of British
music - although that's true, I suppose - but that British performances
were more likely to be reviewed more forgivingly than those from elsewhere.
In saying this, I don't mean that they always necessarily deserved adverse
comment.  As I said in my earlier post, I base this on long acquaintance
with the magazine.

In retrospect, I should also have mentioned Classical Net.  Although
most listers are aware of it, there are often new people joining, and
you should be aware of an extensive archive of reviews at the site,
http://www.classical.net/.

While I'm at it:

Years ago, I regularly read Stereo Review and High Fidelity, but they
became unavailable in Australia.  I don't recall any mention of them
recently, and I wondered whether either or both is still published.

I have a strong dislike of magazines which use star systems to rate
performance and recording.  I wonder how others feel.

Richard Pennycuick
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