After yawning my way through the more than usually uninteresting new
releases in the October Gramophone the other day, I took Deryk's advice
and read his web review of the Zander Mahler 9th.  While I was in the
neighbourhood, I also read his rave review of Marc-Andre Hamelin's
version of Rzewski's The People United Will Never Be Defeated
(http://www.soundstage.com/music/reviews/rev174.htm) and by coincidence,
heard it on the radio a few hours later.  Astonishing is too mild a word -
I can't wait to get a copy!

I usually check Naxos's web site fairly often because they update their
new releases while you're not looking.  Thus I discovered they've released
Einar Englund's 2nd and 4th symphonies conducted by the redoubtable Jorma
Panula (8.553758).  I find Englund's music very much to my taste but not
very easy to acquire, so I hope this is the beginning of a complete cycle
of the symphonies.

Richard Pennycuick
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