I want to thank everyone who offered their opinions on the myriad of recordings available of Shostakovich's 7th Symphony, and here's what I'm going to do. I'll review the Gergiev and Bychkov, using for comparision (good or bad) the Ancerl/Supraphon, Barshai/Brilliant, Haitink/Decca, Temirkanov/RCA, Masur/Teldec, Berglund/EMI, and Bernstein/DG. The only one I'm currently lacking is the Bychkov. Once acquired, I'll be out of the gate. This will be my first review of a Shostakovich symphony, and I'm very enthusiastic about it. I have reviewed recordings of his Opus 87 Preludes/Fugues and am currently working his Piano Sonatas and Opus 34 Preludes. However, the Symphonies were big favorites of mine when I was growing up. As an aside, this is my first week in the retirement mode, and I have to pinch myself to realize that I really have it so good. I suppose the trick is to make sure that the mind and body do not atrophy, so I'm making sure that I use both extensively. I might even take up the clarinet again, assuming I go out and buy some reeds. Also, my long-legged dog General Jackson is having a great time with our long walks; he loves sniffing everything that he comes across. In that area, I am more discriminating than the General. Don Satz [log in to unmask]