On the Pilz Acanta label there is a 3 cd set of Mendelsohnn quartets.
I purchased this for around 3.  These are recordings from the mid 70s
performed by the Bartoldy quartet.

I compared these to the Naxos series and found negligible difference.
Perhaps slightly more inflexion on the Bartoldy set.  Pilz famous
astringent sound seems to be largely absent here.

A sound bargain then at 1 per cd and surprise surprise I find the set "Also
Recommended" in the Gramophone guide.

Also on the Acanta label are versions of La Cenerentola and An Italian in
Algiers by Rossini.  I purchased the former.

Don't scoff.  This is a fine recording, excellent sound and good
performances by all the major singers.It has a full bookletwith libretto
too.  If you're not a Rossini nut then it's worth having this recording in
your collection at 3.

How can you get an opera currently selling in the shops at 30+ for 5.99?
Answer buy one of the Philips Lyrica sets.  I bought around ten of these.
But there is a problem.  No booklets.

My solution was to search for synopses over the internet.  I found a few
but was forced to fill in the blanks by looking in my local library.  There
are many books to choose from.  But, the best by far is "Kobbe's Complete
Opera Book".  The descriptions in this book stand head and shoulders above
even bookelets issued with full price opera.  I scanned the pages, did OCR
then printed out my own little booklets!

There's only one snag with this book, no Haydn.  But I will be writing
synopses of all his major operas for an internet site soon.

Bob Draper
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