James Tobin <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Anyway, here is another milestone in the increasing marginalization of
>this niche market by the recording industry.  Part of me wants to say
>good riddance to Columbia House, but part of me is sad about the general
>situation.

In Cambridge, MASS, HMV closed their store, and the Boston Tower was
taken over by Virgin.  In August, I went to a concert by the Boston
Chamber Music Society, and heard for the first time a viola sonata by
W. Schuman titled "Marchenbilder".  I was immediately won over and
considering that after DECADES of concertgoing I never had heard it
before, I had to buy a CD. But how available would it be?  The Virgin
on Newbury St, Boston not only had it, but prominently displayed it among
Schumann chamber pieces.  The Virgin classical section is one-half the
space it was at Tower, but seemed to be well-stocked beyond crossover
and "Beethoven's Greatest Hits".  There may be hope (after all Virgin
in Boston is next to the Berklee School, and a hop-skip-and-a-jump from
Symphony Hall.)

Laurence Glavin