We are now into circulation of our "magnum opus" - a recension of
a celebrated encyclopedia of classical composers:

Long considered the best book of its kind, the superlative Biographical
Encyclopedia of Composers by David Mason Greene, published in 1985, has
for many years been out of print, and usually unavailable.  Now, after
several years of diligent and careful attention, the work has been
affectionately and painstakingly edited by myself, a great admirer of
Dr. Greene's prose.  Keep in mind that age does not affect the validity
of biographies of composers, needing only occasional updates for
research discoveries or what not.

I have determined that a new generation should be exposed to the witty
and knowledgeable writings of Dr. Greene, and with the onset of the
computer, decided instead to produce the work in electronic form.

The book serves as an informal history of Western music, and as such
needed only occasional updates, primarily for material or information
not available to the author when published.  As in the original, which
relied on the presence of recordings (LPs then) to determine eligibility
for inclusion in the book, and considering the new technologies, only
those composers currently represented on CDs are included.

From Karl Friedrich Abel (#269) to Domenico Zipoli (#207) and from the
first -- Leonin (c 1130?) -- to the final entry for Peter Schickele
(1935) -- you will be pleased to find every major composer and hundreds
of minor artists represented here.

Unlike any other publication known to me, this book is arranged in
chronological order of composers -- by birth date, providing information
as to colleagues and others, as well as interaction among them.  Our
version is hyperlinked, meaning that from the complete composer index
you may select a given artist, place your cursor on the name and voilà,
the bio will appear on your screen.  After reading that, you may
continue with the next chronological entry or return to the index for
others, via the "thumbnails" provision of this PDF format.

Priced at $29.95, reduced for the educational community to $24.95,
we have yet further reduced the price to $19.95, with a small charge
for shipping and handling for CD version in the U.S., or you may simply
elect to download it to your computer.  Out of the country purchasers
should contact us for costs for furnishing the CD.  This special offer
is good through the month of June, 2007.

I am sending this offer only to members of our tried and true MMD
daily, some of whom will be uninterested, although I am suggesting
it as a perfect gift for a musical friend or as a starting spot for
information about those who have furnished the music we love over the
past eight centuries.  For detail access our web site, www.rprf.org
You may either charge via PayPal, or send a check for the download
privilege or the CD made out to the presenting organization, my
Reproducing Piano Roll Foundation, at 4800 Country Lane - #615,
Cleveland, OH  44128-6101.  We are IRS accredited and are 501(3)C
designated...

I am counting on you to help with the financial strains I am
experiencing, and you will, by doing so, enlarge and enrich your
knowledge of the composers of history.  Remember, the best definition
of "classical music" I have encountered is "music from the past that
is worth listening to."  Amen

Albert Petrak