Donald Satz wrote: >Ron might have me on this one. I have a period instrument disc on Teldec >having a volume of the string symphonies. It's been a couple of years >since I listened to it, but I do have a good memory of it and did feel >something inside which was induced by the music, not a health problem. The later string symphonies are by far the best. Some of the early ones are not so good. So I would urge Don and others to get good versions of works 9-12. As these works were written by a very young Mendellsohn (12?) the footprints of other composers (particularly Haydn) can be seen all over them. But Mendellsohn imparted something special of his own. Here we have a genuine child prodigy at work. (The word genius is misused in this context). I love many of the string symphonies and return to them over and over again particularly when I need cheering up. Don't you even like the octet, songs without words and overtures Don? Bob Draper [log in to unmask]