Don writes:

>Many list members have posted about the greater rewards of live
>performances vs.  recordings, including the "communication" between
>artist and audience members.  Not sharing this view,....

Though I find recorded music played in the privacy of my home an
indispensable pleasure, there really is still no substitute for live music.
Realizing that not everyone has access to live music, I will go on:

Mahler, Respighi, and Bruckner come to life architecturally and spacially;
Ravel's sound floats in the air above the orchestra; and opera suddenly
makes sense.  Modern music, with its heightened visceral element, is much
more interesting heard (and seen) live as well.  (IMHO)

I wonder if we should even critique music if we haven't heard it live, as
it was intended to be heard--the sound is *that* different.

John Smyth