Don Satz <[log in to unmask]> confessed to having "muddled his Hummels" and purchased an opera called *Gesualdo* on Arte Nova. I too fell into that trap and, yes, I felt very dumb and didn't even tell my wife and ... no, I didn't enjoy it either. As Jonathan Ellis is a Birtwistle fan he was kind enough to accept my offer and I posted it on to him - what happened after that I have no idea! With Die Soldaten I was lucky enough to lend it to someone who never returned it and as I had by then forgotten who had it, I was spared ever having to see or hear the set again! I just heard Thomas (H)Ades' latest work *Asyla* (or is it Asylum?) and hope that that CD doesn't come my way by accident. They say (who says?) that he's the greatest British composer since Britten. Does anyone know how they can tell? I'd really like to know in case I'm missing something (or must I try much harder?). John G. Deacon Home page: www.ctv.es/USERS/j.deacon