As one who remains unconvinced by all the end of the century/millennium hype, I plan to celebrate both at the end of 2000. Nevertheless, it seemed that my final listening session of the 90s should finish with some monumental piece and it took little thought to decide on Beethoven's 9th. This masterpiece continues to provide new little nuggets of pleasure, maybe a little horn phrase or an accompanying pizzicato, but something that I haven't noticed before: there's just so *much* happening. There Are other works that I've heard once too often that might get an airing once a year, but the 9th is ever fresh, ever moving. I have a fantasy that a company of elves comes during the night after I've played one of my versions of it, and spirits the CDs away to a sound engineer who has access to many takes of the performances I have and substitutes one of these so that the next time I hear it, I'll hear something new. I suspect that when the century really does end, I'll make the same choice. Richard Pennycuick [log in to unmask]