September 15, 1998

Paul Griffiths reviews concerts at Merkin Hall organized by cellist Fred Sherry to mark 124th anniversary of Schoenberg's birth (S)

Swissair officials say that cargo hold of jet that crashed off coast of Nova Scotia held currency, diamonds and jewelry, along with a painting by Pablo Picasso called The Painter, which is estimated to be worth $1.5 million; Canadian divers continue to search for human remains (M)

Dave Anderson Sports of the Times column on home-run race between Sammy Sosa of Chicago Cubs and Mark McGwire of St Louis Cardinals, both of whom have surpassed Roger Maris's 37-year-old record of 61 home runs in season; says that they are racing each other to whatever eventual record might be when season ends on September 27, but that Sosa might get last shot if Cubs end up in playoffs for National League wild-card berth; photo (M)

Clinton Details His Policy For Economic Growth President Clinton declared that the economic turmoil roiling three continents constituted ''the biggest financial challenge facing the world in a half-century.'' In a half-hour address to a friendly audience at the Council on Foreign Relations in Manhattan, he detailed a strategy to quell the trouble before it puts ''our own prosperity at risk.'' Mr. Clinton called on the world's leading economies to abandon their fear of inflation and instead ''spur growth.'' The finance ministers and central bank governors of the world's seven largest economies issued a parallel statement intended to open the door to coordinated interest-rate cuts. [Page A1.]

Financially troubled Reader's Digest Association, owner of exceptional art collection, will be selling estimated $100 million of Impressionist and 20th-century works by masters at public auction in November; while Sotheby's and Reader's Digest refuse to comment, art experts say that Sotheby's auction house has been chosen to sell works in special evening sale during height of fall art season; Reader's Digest is seeking to lift its cash holdings; photo (M)