February 7, 2000

Bach Choir of Bethlehem, celebrating its 100th anniversary, to perform Bach's Mass in B minor led by Greg Funfgeld, with Bach Festival Orchestra at Carnegie Hall; Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, led by Riccardo Chailly, performs at Carnegie Hall; New York City Opera National Co, touring arm of City Opera, embarks on 49-city, 59-performance tour of Rossini's Barber of Seville; more than 60 fragments of medieval art from Schnutgen Museum in Germany are on exhibit at McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College; photo (M)

Conde Naste's chairman, S I Newhouse Jr, is trying to remake his GQ and Details magazines in image of Maxim, sex-saturated magazine from Dennis Publishing that has circulation of more than 1.6 million copies an issue; he hired Maxim's editor, Mark Golin, to become editor in chief of Details and urged GQ's editor, Art Cooper, to insert Maxim-style oomph into GQ's pages; last several issues of GQ featured near-naked women on cover; new direction at GQ has alarmed advertisers and momentarily bewildered some members of GQ's staff, who see GQ as one of last men's magazines with literature and urbanity as its editorial mandate; photos (M)

Traditional literary community warms to new electronic book market, formerly scoffed at as little more than vanity press profoundly flawed by absence of professional vetting and high quality writing; prominent authors, such as Arthur C Clarke, and many agents are submitting short works or out-of-print books scorned by traditional publishers to Fatbrain.com, digital publisher at vanguard of electronic market; Web site has become literary refuge for amateur writers yearning for outlet to display works; its unlikely literary patrons are investors like Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and Highland Capital partners, who have backed it with $35 million in financing; site has existing list of 6,000 titles; photos (M)

Vodafone Airtouch PLC's acquisition of Mannesmann AG is first time Germany has seen hostile takeover of German company, inside or outside country's borders; interviews with executives on both sides tell story of takeover fight that reached level of Machiavellian intrigue rivaling anything by American corporate raiders in 1980's; detailed behind-the-scenes account of battle; photos (M)

United States defeats Zimbabwe, 3-2, in opening round of Davis Cup competition; photo (M)