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Contents

LETTERS

• Gardiner v Wagner continued EDn'OR'S 0I01CE 10 ORCHESTRAL The best new recordings of the month

SOUNDBITES FOR THE RECORD Charles Datoitheads fur Verbier; Philip Glass'sWalt DimJey opera MY TOP 10 In the seasonal spirit - Caroline Gill's &vourite Christmas pieces INTERVIEW

Lang Lang and Sa Olen compete in Chopin; llouI=',Ile

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CHAMBER

INSTRUMENTAL Jcan-EfHam BlMliW::t'Struly great Dcbmsy 21 aillccrion; weloome to a ausical Star

Rautavaara is too ill to speak; Philip am. VOCAL i Iw:nicws "Sibelius'sheir" by ~nWl Matthias Goeme'sSchubert odyssey DIARY Z3 continues; Anna Netreblro's"Souvenirs" lhny Cbrl.tophon ..o.a. on 30 years ofleadingThe ~

PHIUP KENNICOTT

25

U~S~(dHI"")

OPERA Rene Pape's angels and cbilsj """'=Lully op= """""" DVD 124

ARMANDO IANNUCC

26 Assessing John Adams'slJoarJrAwmit;

Can we compare music? It'sfun to try! ntATSTRAINAGAIN ZI REPLAY

Big-1Wlle Beethoven Ninths

Move over Oasis, Wagner was there first ONE TO WATCH 35 BOOKS TalentW cellist twins from Australia Sir Thomas Beecham'swit and guile USA (North American edition only) A1 The mystcriaus case of the Qevdand SOUNDWAVES Orchestra. the critic and his demotion TUNE SURFING

FEATURES COVER STORY'

Anew classicaJ. downloads chart

36 MUSICALJOURNEYS

From Berlin 10 New York, an esteemed SEEN AND HEARD inteInatianal panel of crltiClIlllIIleS and Amost unusu:al kstival for Ghent nwnbers the world'stnp 20 orchestras MUSIC AND nlE MIND 46 UVE MUSIC CALENDAR Does musk: make you cleverer? Is Mourt good for babies? Haw docs i t all work? Our special report sccb the answm HIGH-FIDELIlY

COMPOSING FOR SUNDANCE 52 AUDIO AND VISUAL

142

Robort R

Steane'spick of the Christmas discs SUBSCRIP110NS

30

CRITICS' CHOICE

Our critics sdcct their favourite recordings £ram the past year

6Z CLASSIFIEDS

NEW RELEASES

REVIEWS INDEX

150

154

160

Orecycle

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GRAMOPHONE

162::=~

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