I am pleased that Mimi Ezust has discovered the ultra-pure tones of Andreas
Scholl.

I first heard him when he sang Handel's "Ombra mai fu " with the London
Symphony Orchestra(!) during the "Gramophone" awards in October 1997.
Jaws dropped everywhere at the beauty of his singing.  I then bought his
award-winning Harmonia Mundi disc of Vivaldi's "Stabat Mater" (HMC 901571
T4-7), much more grief-stricken than the recordings from stiff-upper-lip
British countertenors.  This old BBC feature lists other recordings:

   http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/artist/week925.shtml

His performance of the wise monarch in Handel's "Solomon" was a highlight
of the 1998 Promenade concerts - while the other Handel stalwarts sang
their roles with animation, six-foot Scholl stood there, immobile, and
emitted beautiful sounds.  His acting skills have progressed since then.

James Kearney
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