tmsorosk wrote:

But since reading my first (  As We See It  ) in Jan 1993's isuue, by Robert Harley, something to do with Anna Case, Dec 2012 has to be the most yawn inspiring ever.

Sorry you were disappointed but I wanted to pay tribute to the late Kathleen Ferrier. Take a listen to her performance of "Der Abschied" from Mahler's Das von der Erde - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtV7TSRLs5Y (mono, I am afraid) - and tell me you aren't moved.

tmsorosk wrote:

I just renewed for two more years, anyway there was lots of other great stuff in Decembers issue.

Thank you on both counts.

John Atkinson

Editor, Stereophile

I'm not sure what to make of tmsorosk's comments. My reading of Stereophile goes back to just about the same point as his does (to around 1993) and I think this was the best As We See It ever!

through recalling the author's childhood experience of music, the author wounderfully explains the power of music on a person. The essay introduces a singer who I, at least, have not heard of. It does a wonderful job of explaining what was special musically and personally about Ferrier. And it is skillfully written.

Enough of this column's endless tiresome debates over subjective perception vs. objective measurements, digital vs. analog, etc. Instead we get a heartfelt presentation of a wonderful musician.

So I say thank you Mr. Serinus. I'm sure many other readers appreciated your essay. Please don't let tmsorosk get you down.

Robert