This evening belongs to William Morrison (Morrison's Supermarkets) and Klaus Heymann (Naxos). Mr Morrison's shop furnished me with about the best mussels I have ever eaten (and on special offer, to boot!) I bought two kilos and had to reject just one mussel during preparation. Really, really top class. Thank you William Morrison. I'll be back. And back.

During the 1950s when I started collecting recordings, it was an expensive hobby, and choice was limited to mainstream repertoire with, typically,  a realistic choice of around four competitive recordings. This evening I listened to Emil Gilels playing short pieces on a new Naxos CD. Wonderful playing,  of course.  But what was even more remarkable was the transfers (Ward Marston) of these 1935-50 Russian recordings. The Soviet Union may have produced more top-class violinists and pianists than the whole of the Western world put together; but it was not noted for its state-of-the-art recording technology (unlike the Germans during the same period). But this £5 Naxos CD really is top-class, with truly excellent transfers at a truly excellent price. Where would we be without Klaus Heymann? And why was he not churning out desirable recordings in the 1950s when I was impoverished? Nowadays, I lose count of  the number of Naxos CDs I have in my collection (and the number grows every month). Naxos, and Harmonia Mundi; both the products of two driven individuals who have made such a difference to the world of recorded music.