It used to be that, when I sat down to write the introduction to <I>Stereophile</I>'s ever-popular annual "Records To Die For" feature, it quickly became an exercise in racking my meager brain for jokes about "dying for" records. But being funny, in print or otherwise, is tremendously difficult. I'm sure Groucho had a much more apropos, not to mention funny, quip about the trials of being humorous&mdash;but, as with the aforementioned jokes, I can't seem to think of it right now.

It used to be that, when I sat down to write the introduction to <I>Stereophile</I>'s ever-popular annual "Records To Die For" feature, it quickly became an exercise in racking my meager brain for jokes about "dying for" records. But being funny, in print or otherwise, is tremendously difficult. I'm sure Groucho had a much more apropos, not to mention funny, quip about the trials of being humorous&mdash;but, as with the aforementioned jokes, I can't seem to think of it right now.

It used to be that, when I sat down to write the introduction to <I>Stereophile</I>'s ever-popular annual "Records To Die For" feature, it quickly became an exercise in racking my meager brain for jokes about "dying for" records. But being funny, in print or otherwise, is tremendously difficult. I'm sure Groucho had a much more apropos, not to mention funny, quip about the trials of being humorous&mdash;but, as with the aforementioned jokes, I can't seem to think of it right now.

It used to be that, when I sat down to write the introduction to <I>Stereophile</I>'s ever-popular annual "Records To Die For" feature, it quickly became an exercise in racking my meager brain for jokes about "dying for" records. But being funny, in print or otherwise, is tremendously difficult. I'm sure Groucho had a much more apropos, not to mention funny, quip about the trials of being humorous&mdash;but, as with the aforementioned jokes, I can't seem to think of it right now.

It used to be that, when I sat down to write the introduction to <I>Stereophile</I>'s ever-popular annual "Records To Die For" feature, it quickly became an exercise in racking my meager brain for jokes about "dying for" records. But being funny, in print or otherwise, is tremendously difficult. I'm sure Groucho had a much more apropos, not to mention funny, quip about the trials of being humorous&mdash;but, as with the aforementioned jokes, I can't seem to think of it right now.

It used to be that, when I sat down to write the introduction to <I>Stereophile</I>'s ever-popular annual "Records To Die For" feature, it quickly became an exercise in racking my meager brain for jokes about "dying for" records. But being funny, in print or otherwise, is tremendously difficult. I'm sure Groucho had a much more apropos, not to mention funny, quip about the trials of being humorous&mdash;but, as with the aforementioned jokes, I can't seem to think of it right now.

Having just spent the last four days at the 2004 Audio Engineering Society conference in San Francisco, I was struck by the sunny enthusiasm shared by many industry professionals for 5.1-channel surround-sound music.

This is the story of the tiger wagging its tail. It is also the story of a tail trying to wag its tiger...

<B>BEETHOVEN: <I>Complete Music for Cello & Piano</I></B><BR>
Cello & Piano Sonatas: in F, Op.5 No.1; in g, Op.5 No.2; in F, Op.17; in A, Op.69; in C, Op.102 No.1; in D, Op.102 No.2. Variations: in F on Mozart's "Ein M&#228;dchen oder Weibchen," Op.66; in E-flat on Mozart's "Bei M&#228;nnern," WoO 46; in G on Handel's "See, the Conquering Hero Comes," WoO 45<BR>
Andr&#225;s Schiff, piano; Mikl&#243;s Per&#233;nyi, cello<BR>
ECM New Series 1819/20, B00003389-02 (2 CDs). 2004. Manfred Eicher, exec. prod.; Stephan Schellmann, eng. DDD. TT: 2:31:19<BR>
Performance <B>****&#189;</B><BR>
Sonics <B>****</B><BR>