BMG is currently holding a pretty good sale on Robert Shaw CDs. I've made no secret of the fact that I've found his Telarc recordings variable - that is, the great appears cheek by jowl with the bland and the downright terrible. Since I've bought most of his CDs, I'll list my favorites and less-than-favorites: Absolute Heaven: Basically, a compilation of other CDs. You'd do better to buy those rather than this. Adams: Harmonium; Rachmaninoff: The Bells - A stunning Harmonium; an OK Bells (I prefer my Melodiya performance) Amazing Grace: Undoubtedly one of the best of the Robert Shaw Festival Singer CDs. Quite fine performances of Shaw-Parker (mostly Parker) arrangements of white and black "spirituals," among the greatest takes of this literature ever done. Appear and Inspire: Great repertoire. Horrible performance. It never should have been released. Bach: Magnificat; Vivaldi: Gloria - In its energy and joy, recalls Shaw's glory days in the Sixties. Not HIP (my normal preference), but beautiful, exciting readings nevertheless. Bach: Mass in b - Less intense than Shaw's RCA recording with the RS Chorale of the same work, but it still retains enough of its edge. A fine performance, and a completely individual view of the work. The movements become choral concerti grossi. Barber: Prayers of Kierkegaard; Vaughan Williams: Dona nobis pacem; Bartok: Cantata profana - a great Barber. The Vaughan Williams lacks Hickox and Boult's intensity. The Bartok not as exciting as Fricsay's. Another mixed bag. Brahms: Liebeslieder Waltzes - Again, not up to Shaw's RCA recording, but quite fine. I always thought Shaw's Brahms (although he wasn't particularly known for it) got to the heart of that composer. Christmas with the Robert Shaw Chorale - BUY THIS!!! In addition to the classic Shaw-Parker carol arrangments, you also get his first (and slightly better) Britten Ceremony of Carols. Evocation of the Spirit: Great repertoire in performances that should never have been released. Faure: Requiem/Durufle: Requiem - One of his best CDs. I quibble only with the tempo of the opening movement of the Faure. Others may also find fault with the version of the Durufle (all choral, no solos), though I don't. Gorgeous performances of gorgeous works. Handel: Messiah Choruses and Arias - 16 selections. Shaw probably could have conducted this in his sleep, given all his years with it. It's a good performance, but not wonderful. Mendelssohn: Elijah. Horrible. The best thing about it is Thomas Hampson's Elijah, the finest I've heard, including Fisher-Dieskau's. But Shaw hasn't a clue to most of the music. The hell of it is that I've heard him do it splendidly live. Poulenc: Mass in g, etc. Poulenc himself considered Shaw his best interpreter. It's easy to see why. The RS Festival Singers are a tad rough, but Poulenc can take it. Monumental. Rachmaninoff: Vespers. A good, first-rate recording, but I believe real aficionados of the work would prefer the Russian chorus on EMI. Songs of Angels/Bright Day Star - Christmas carol arrangments by the entity known as Shaw-Parker (mostly Parker). Glorious. Stephen Foster Songbook: With the Robert Shaw Chorale in Shaw-Parker arrangements. A classic performance. I'm not a Stephen Foster fan, but this is a favorite CD. Steve Schwartz