Bob Draper responded to my comment: Tom Connor wrote: >>... I can be very intolerant of some performances based on the >>imprint I've received from past listening. But I've also found there are >>performances that in comparison to what has been imprinted become more >>exciting. It goes both ways. My own experience has been good performances >>can be enjoyed, and as familiarity grows, the subtlety of performances >>increases. > >What Tom is describing here is another manifestation of the Pavlov's dogs >phenomenon I described in a recent posting. > >Here prior experience conditions anticipation and hence affects response. >We don't accept new things readily but at the same time they make sit up >and take note. The result is either "wow what a fantastic version of this >work" or damning condemnation. I just heard the beginning of Alfred Brendel playing the Beethoven Diabelli Variations on the car radio. I have the earlier Vox version and found at first hearing much I prefered over this likely, more recent version, but found I was listening rather closely. I enjoyed the music and look forward to hearing this performance again. Woof! Tom Connor