LATEST ADDITIONS

When Hong Kong&ndash;based music lover and electronics-equipment distributor Klaus Heymann (footnote 1), now 70, first began organizing classical-music concerts as a way to boost sales, he had no idea he would end up founding the world's leading classical-music label. But after starting a record-label import business and meeting his future wife, leading violinist Takako Nishizaki, the German-born entrepreneur sought a way to promote her artistry. First he founded the HK label, which specialized in Chinese symphonic music (including Nishizaki's recording of <I>Butterfly Lovers</I>, the famous violin concerto by Chen Gang). Next he established Marco Polo, a label devoted to symphonic rarities.

I don't want a symphony orchestra in my room: That's crazy. I want their <I>music</I>, played with enough realism that I can hear how it's done.

I want to start this year's gift recommendations by briefly revisiting the results of my Musical Cultural Literacy for Americans write-in competition, which ran in the April issue. All 12 winning entries of 12 selections each are <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/thefifthelement/407fifth/index3.html">posted online</A> (footnote 1).

For a cat who only drinks water, Huckleberry certainly does a passable imitation of a drunken stupor.

Now <I>Rolling Stone</I> has noticed the <A HREF="http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17777619/the_death_of_high_fidel… wars</A>.

Well, if you're tired of being jolly, you <I>could</I> go see <I>No Country For Old Men</I>, which will counteract any amount of Whooville saccharine. John Patterson has a <A HREF="http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,2230352,00.html"… time</A> with the Coen brothers.