James Tobin asked us to share the years musical highlights.

For me it was three things: hearing Rouse's "Gorgon" again at the Aspen
Festival in July, hearing the music of Michael Gatonska for the first
time, and attending the premiere of Anders Hillborg's "Kongsgaard
Variations" string quartet in Napa.

In terms of recordings, I was most impressed with (finally hearing) James
Judd's rendition of Elgar's most underappreciated march, the Coronation,
op. 65.  Hardly anyone gets this right, always going too fast.  This
piece should be SCARY at the beginning, and Judd and his New Zealanders
get the shivers going properly.

Another great new acquaintance for me was the Maslanka Symphony no. 5,
first movement, a recording I heard for the first time this year.  VERY
powerful!

Jeff Dunn
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Alameda, CA