Mahler 6 is very, very long, but Zander's performance of it last night with the NEC Youth Symphony Orchestra was well worth it, as was Zander's re-interpretations as he explained in his brief lecture preceding the performance. In short, I think I agree--Mahler made some mistakes, partly because of caving to public pressure, and partly because of his debilitating superstition (the fourth movement is incomplete without the third hammer blow, and the first movement leads more smoothly--albeit crushingly--into the Scherzo better than the Adagio, which is, in short, well-earned respite in its position as a third movement).

Interestingly enough, it seems Zander has early ties to none other than Benjamin Britten, and has quite the interesting bio.

Arthur Allen writes an interesting article on the scientific merits of animal testing for human drugs.

In general, I agree with Mr. Allen--mice and dogs are no indicators for what might happen in humans. But what Mr. Allen alludes to, but fails to explore in much more detail is the somewhat frustrating hurdle that not even humans are good indicators for what might happen in humans.