I'm for the most part a careful person. Decisions are reasoned, sometimes overanalyzed. Sometimes that's good. Other times I lose momentum and opportunities are lost. However, when it comes to buying recordings I have learned the hard way that if you see it, and want it (or need it), strike while the iron is hot. Too often it's gone the next week, or even the next day.
There are certain recordings which I know and love but which have been withdrawn from circulation. Nevertheless, I'm relentless in seeking them out. My good friend Google helps a lot and I'm practically on a first name basis with some of Amazon's associate resellers. For years now I have been looking for a CD restrike of Elly Ameling's gorgeous rendition of Stravinsky's wordless Pastorale. Ron Moore has also been scanning the marketplace for this 2 minutes of musical bliss, to no avail.
Well....I found it! It's not exactly the same studio performance, but is instead part of a 5 disc collection of live concert performances by Ameling. I admit I recoiled somewhat at the Amazon asking price of over $90. My first resort in such cases is to look for Amazon associates who either deal in used books and recordings or reduced price product. There were none to be found. However, I eventually tracked a much more attractive price from a seller in The Netherlands. It's hard to lose with Elly Ameling, so I bit on it. Today the set arrived and I must say it is everything I expected and more. (I'm still only partially through the set.)
So why am I admitting my own obsession with collecting CDs? It's because since I discovered the availability of this 5 disc set the recording has now popped on Amazon with several associates offering the set, new, for under $40, and that is including shipping. Learn from my impetuosity and save. But also learn from my experience which has made me an impetuous buyer of CDs - here today, gone tomorrow. You just never know.
-James Baker-
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