Don Satz wrote:

>Speaking of obscure, I also recently bought a Marco Polo disc of Poot
>symphonic works and a CPO disc of Toch symphonies.  So far, I don't find
>much merit in either composer.  Could list members confirm my impressions
>or comment on what they like about either composer?

I bought two Marco Polos of Poot works on the basis of liking his Overture
joyeuse and Allegro symphonique, which are on one of the CDs and on an
ancient Belgian LP I have with other music by Benoit, de Greef and de
Boeck.  After hearing the symphonies and other works on the CDs, I think
the two works I heard originally may be his best, and I must confess that
I'm not crazy about him either.  I'm sure we all have CDs that we mentally
put in the container labelled Pending, and quite often they are pushed
aside when something better comes along.  My Poots are there for now.

Benoit, however, is a different story.  I have his Hoogmis on Discover,
(regrettably, this label no longer has a distributor here AFAIK), and
recently bought a sale copy of his piano concerto and flute concerto with
an overture on MP.  All, IMHO, well-crafted and satisfying music.

Richard Pennycuick
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 [Discover International has partnered with Koch International, and will be
 their budget label (and thus distributed by Koch as well).  This is from
 the Koch website:

   Koch Discover International is the result of a 50/50 partnership
   between Koch International and label founder and conductor Alexander
   Rahbari.  Koch's new label, will release 20 titles monthly, including
   back catalog and new issues.  The first 20 titles were issued on
   February 18th, 1997 and have been met with great enthusiasm.  In 1996
   Koch International acquired fifty percent of Discover International
   and is now in partnership with the label's founder Alexander Rahbari.

 -Dave]