Of the Bilson/Gardiner Mozart set, Donald Satz scripsit:

>I envy Geoffrey's discovery of these performances.  Until I heard them,
>Mozart piano concertos were smooth, poetic, and beautiful.  Bilson and
>Gardiner made them exciting, contrasting, and full of additional insights.
>I love both approaches and am routinely snapping up recordings of each.

Which is much as I would describe the performances myself.  It seems to
me that what one hears in these recordings fully supports the performers
comments (in the CD booklet) to the effect that "original instruments" or
reconstructions thereof give the performers the freedom to exploit the
qualities of their instruments in *full* measure, rather than deliberately
hold back.  Finding the right balance between the instruments also becomes
somewhat easier to manage.

>Try out HIP on the Beethoven cello sonatas and Schubert piano trios.

This I will certainly do.  I would also be very interested in acquiring any
HIP chamber music by Weber.  Has any such been released that is
particularly recommendable?

Geoffrey Gaskell
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