Kar-Ming Chong wrote:

>Surfing through the Gramophone "New releases" section on its website,
>I found this new release, "Sibelius Sym No 2.  Tempest - Ste 1.  Iceland
>SO / Sakari.  (S) 8 554266".  Has anyone, by any chance, heard of this
>recording yet?

The Sakari release of Sibelius's Symphonies #1 & 3 was recommended by R
Hecht not long ago, so I snapped it up.  Aside from the Heifetz version of
Sibelius's VC op 47, it was my introduction to this composer.  As Zappa
might've said: Wowie zowie.

As to your question: Yes, I've heard OF this new release.  I saw it just
this morning on the Naxos site (that's 8point554266 -- which gives it away
as an HNH product).

But have I heard it yet? No. Actually, I'm on my way to the shop to pick
it up, so I will soon.  I'd ask you about the review you read, but what's
the point? And I'd report back on what I heard if I weren't so green with
The Finn.

By the way, I'll also be checking out these mostly new Naxos releases:

8.553869  WALTON: Spitfire Prelude and Fugue; Sinfonia concertante /
Hindemith Variations  (Loved the release with the Viola Concerto/Sym 2)

8.554241 POULENC Organ Concerto / Concert Champetre; Suite francaise;
(Philippe Lefebvre at the Great Organ of Notre-Dame de Paris  Elisabeth
Chojnacka Harpsichord  Orchestre National de Lille Jean-Claude Casadesus)
(Still looking for the Champetre where you can hear the harpsichord under
the full orch!  Tsk, tsk, Francis)

8.554465 SCHNITTKE Cello Concerto Stille Musik / Cello Sonata (Maria
Kliegel, Cello Raimund Havenith, Piano / Burkhard Godhoff, Violin
Saabrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra Gerhard Markson) (I was alerted to
Schnittke by Joseph Previte -- another recommender I always count on.)

Bert Bailey, in Ottawa