Mimi Ezust wrote:

>Yesterday I heard a St. Matthew Pasion that knocked me out.  It's on
>Harmonia Mundi (and a copy of it will be mine, mine, mine very soon!)
>
>The counter-tenor was Andreas Scholl.  I had never heard him before.  He
>is absolutely top drawer.  Terrific pitch, wonderful expression, perfect
>phrasing.
>
>Does anyone else know him? Have other works to recommend? I did an internet
>search and I'm going to get his collection of Bach arias, too.

Andreas Scholl is by now regarded by many as the single best counter
tenor of this moment.  The SMP you refer to is Herreweghe's second effort
and it is a fine version throughout IMO.  There are solo records by Scholl
including Bach arias, other German baroque arias, some Vivaldi, Pergolesi's
Stabat Mater a.o.  and they are all quite good.  Although I would prefer
Gerard Lesne for the French (and some Italian) repertoire.  And once upon
a time of course there was the young Alfred Deller next to whom all rivals
pale (but then *he* was best in English songs IMO).

Philip