My niches tend to be related to studying a composer or a piece. For example, I now have almost everything ever recorded by Martinu (in fact I have more recordings of his music than any composer). I am currently studying Beethoven's Violin Concerto. In addition to pulling out what I have I added Perlman's recording with Giulini. I have listened to Milstein, Menuhin (Furtwangler) and Hahn so far. I am adding Oistrakh when I get it. So far I have discovered that the most sensual recording is by Hahn. The Menuhin is a serious disappointment (that thin, scrawny sound following Furtwangler's almost Brucknarian lead is enough to make me turn it off immediately). Milstein is the most aristocratic (and I like this own cadenzas). Stumpf *********************************************** The CLASSICAL mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's HDMail High Deliverability Mailer for reliable, lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html