Norman Lebrecht ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>I don't deny the value of recording as a point of reference.  But I do not
>consider listening to a record to be a genuine musical experience.  Music
>must posses the ability to surprise and shock.  A recording, once heard,
>remains the same for all time.

While it's true that a recording remains forever the same, many music
lovers have found that it's very useful to have several versions of a piece
of music that has become meaningful in their lives.  It costs more money,
of course, but one can buy several CDs for the cost, these days, of one
concert event.  Not to mention traffic, parking, etc.  And that's assuming
that there is something worth witnessing in a geographically convenient
location.

Bill S