Discussing and earlier tepid response to Bach's St. John's,  Donald Satz
writes:

>I think that the reason I was not impressed years ago was because of
>the abundance of choral passages in relation to arias.  Well, with the
>passage of a few years, I now have a different view of the work where
>the recitatives, choruses, and arias fall into a natural pattern which
>I appreciate greatly.

This is as good a time as any to share my recent discover of an absolutely
beautiful Handel Aria towards the end of his "Dixit Dominus" entitled:
"De torrente in via bibet" sung by Arleen Auger and Lynne Dawson.
(Archiv 423594)

Those of you that are hardcore Baroque fans are probably thinking, "this
is news?" but for those that tend towards later periods, I can safely
say its beauty surpasses any particular time or style.  I bought the CD
specifically for the "Dixit" opening--my college choir sung this and I
thought it was a really cool piece--and never listened on.

My choir director made some of us tenors sing alto so that we would sound
more HIP.  (Maybe that's what's wrong with me....)

John Smyth