RegularsEditor'schoiceBestnew recordings of the month 4 Musical month Concert highlights to June I 5 From where I sit Paolo Fazioli , piano maker 25 SingertalkJBS on th e Wigmore Hall's centenalY 27 Readers' letters Switching children onto classical 28 Collection Rubbra - performer, composer and teacher 30 North American Retrospect Hidden operatic talents A1 Take 5 Surprising discoveries in British music 37 Take 5/2 Five very individual conductors 38 Reputations Quartetto Italiano - unity and passion 40 Masterclass Mozart's Clarinet Concerto 44 Replay Van Beinum's unique interpretations 47 Hindsight Life at Gramophone 70, 50, 30 years ago 146

Features-M!i!iliH'4AlfredBrendel faces reality -life at 70 8 Interview William Matteuzzi, the reluctant tenor 15 Interview Fabio Biondi puts in a plea for Boccherini 17

NewsWarnersdownsizes; Bis wins the race to record the newly discovered Handel GI01'ia; and critic John Ardoin dies 18 Webwatch Music, and more, down the phone line 22

ReviewsOrchestralUchidabrings romance to Schoenberg's Piano Concerto, Thielemann stuns in Strauss's Alpine Symphony, and a tribute to Julian L10yd Webber 50 Chamber Biondi's irresistible Boccherini, high-voltage Schubert from the Trio Wanderer and incisive performances of Roslavets 68 Instrumental Pletnev brings mas tery to Beethoven 74 Vocal Harnoncourt's St Matthe'zv Passion 82 Opera Early recordings of Callas singing Verdi 94 DVD & Video Bryn Terfel's Falstaff, plus Fantasia 104 Book reviews Reputations savaged by Richter 106

AudioNewsSonyattempts to boost SACD appeal

Feedback Your hi-fi questions answered

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Advice System-building Set up and tuning

Tests Dolby Pro-logic 11 113 Arcam A85 amplifier 114 Rotel RDV-995/RSX-972 116 PMC TB2 loudspeakers 118 Technics RP-FDA100 121 Vivanco FMH 8080 124

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DataSubscriptions 35 Classifieds 128 New releases 132 Recommended recordings 136 UK label directory 141 Reviews index 144 Advertisers' index 145

@ramopholle June 2001 3