I am in a real Bach mode at the moment so have bought Andreas Staier playing the Goldberg Variations on the same harpsichord as the one used on the keyboard concertos. At the same time I spot that Rachel Podger and the Brecon Quartet have recorded The Art of Fugue. I have a few versions of this work but not one played solely on strings. So this goes on the to-get list as well.

Quite some time ago I learned to distinguish between what is good and what I like in music. So, for example, I happily agree that Mozart was a genius despite being completely turned off by his music! It also works on a higher level.  In general I find Country and Western music almost unlistenable to while acknowledging the undoubted talent of artists such as Glen Campbell. My approach means that I can roam right across musical genres finding things of interest, though often coming back to Bach, Morton Feldman and John Coltrane!

I have decided to go with a rather different Robert Harris novel The Fear Index. Normally he writes about historical characters and subjects, but this is a modern-day thriller involving high-tech market manipulation. Knowing the way Harris works, it will be meticulously researched.