At last I have heard Schnabel in the Beethoven Diabelli variations (Mark Obert-Thorn transfer for Naxos). Truly excellent, and my kind of playing ... same sort of school as Backhaus, my réfèrence since the 1950s. No nonsense; just Beethoven as written. What weird music this is, in places! Quite mad, in some respects (particularly for the 1820s).

Also, thanks to David Gomberg, I caught up again with Lisa Batiashvili in 2007 (off-air). Shostakovich first violin concerto (with Sakari Oramo, in New York) and the Prokofiev second concerto (with a rather flat-footed Charles Dutoit in Dresden). Lots of portamento for someone of her generation. Her sound reminds me of Michael Rabin; her rapt concentration -- always a trait of her playing -- of Sviatislav Richter. Very fine performances of both works; she obviously hasn't lost form over the past few years. A good coupling for a fine off-air CD.

Fishy weekend: two excellent plaice, plus a moderate shellfish platter of prawns (frozen), crab (OK) and lobster (very good). Plus a really excellent Pont L'Evèque, a Camembert and a real Cheddar. Ah, le frommage!