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