D Stephen Heersink wrote: >If ever there was a periodical needed to prove that British can talk >a hell-uva-lot and still not say anything, Gramophone should be a classic >example.... Our British members will likely have a little to say about Stephen's view on their communication skills. As for me, I'm usually taken aback when I hear or read criticisms of English speaking review periodicals. There are so few of them that I'm glad that any exist at all. Sure, none of them is perfect, but each one provides me with "something" of value, and I snap them up when they hit the street. In the case of Gramophone, although the reviews are relatively short, they do provide me with purchasing insight, and they easily outdistance the others in letting me know what's coming up in the recording arena. Each of these periodicals costs less than a full-priced cd, and I consider them a relative bargain for my needs. I also enjoy reading them (or parts of them). Agree with them most of the time? Hardly, but that's just a matter of personal taste. Getting back to communication, I always assumed that the British were excellent communicators, and materials I've read have just reinforced that opinion. Sometimes I think that there's a negative perception of the British for losing their Empire, but I consider that to have been an inevitable and healthy process. Don Satz [log in to unmask]