“The Kullervo Symphony was the first large orchestral work attempted by Sibelius. Based on a tragic and quite gruesome story from the collection of epic Finnish tales known as The Kalevala, the work was very successful at its first performance. The work is diffuse and rambling at times with definite echoes of Wagner and Tchaikovsky…”

What interested me in the discography of the Liddypool boys was the compilation done by George and Giles Martin for the Cirque du Soleil show LOVE (0946 379 1 1), which is also available in an incredible surround SACD that takes full advantage of the medium (My 10 Favourite Pop/Rock Surround SACDs are coming soon to this space). Here we have 4 superb stereo sides that reshape and reinvigorate many Beatles tunes…”

“I have to confess that in 2008 I’ve been very remiss in my music reviewing, and not for want of available recordings. There have just seemed to be too many other distractions, such as tuner and projector projects (the former in its final phase, and the latter just getting lit up, so to speak, with two reviews already posted), recording projects (two organ CDs with Ian Sadler), and numerous other activities, including grandchildren and the day-to-day running of AIG…”

Andrew Marshall listens to jazz and classical DVD Audio releases from Classic Records and Chesky, straps on the cans for a bevy of binaural recordings and even spins some spoken word in the Summer 1999 edition of his Supersounds Column…

“As a longtime Elvis fan (and I can now admit to being as a teenager one of the earliest imitators, or “tribute artists”, as they now say in Memphis), I’ve always been glad to see good sounding re-releases of his best work. A set of German-produced RCA CDs from 1984 was the first set of reissues that did the original recordings justice. Titled Elvis - The Collection, the first of these 3 CDs contained many of the early hits, while the second and third chronicled the string of hits into the 60s. For some reason I seem to have lost Volume 3..”