My wife has kept me so busy with gardening and moving stuff around the house I haven't taken the time to post much for quite a while.

Much of my listening in the last week was to different recordings of Schumann's symphonies, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, and even Mozart's Symphony No. 41 (the Jupiter Symphony).

Schuman Symphonies with conductors Bernard Haitink (Philips) and Antoni Wit (Naxos), which seem to me to be excellent. I listened to Nos. 1 and 4, Josef Krips on LP--sorry LP fans, this is smooth enough but the sound is rather tubby and compressed. Also on LP, Symphony No. 3 (Rhenish) with Otto Klemperer. There is also a very nice recording of Symphony No. 2 with Georg Tintner conducting the Nova Scotia Symphony Orchestra on Naxos.

Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition with Fritz Reiner, Claudio Abbado, and Ernest Ansermet--which is still my favorite by far.

Mozart, Symphony No. 41, (Jupiter), with Christopher Hogwood directing an original performance practice performance, and large orchestra recordings with Sir Colin Davis and Rene Leibowitz, both of which are extremely good. I think Hogwood takes the slow second movement, Andante Cantabile, too fast.

Rimsky-Korsakoff, Tsar Saltan Suite, May Night, Russian Easter Festival Overture. Ernest Ansermet, Suisse Romande Orch. on LP. Tsar Saltan is a cute piece.

Even more obscure Rimsky-Korsakoff, Suite No. 2 from the Opera "Christmas Eve." Othmar Maga, Bochum Symphony Orchestra on an old Turnabout LP. The sound on this is very lovely, warm and ingratiating, although the dynamics of the performance are limited.

Toru Takemitsu, Chamber Music. Robt. Aitken, flute, Toronto New Music Ensemble, on Naxos. Haunting music, excellent recording.