Sir Adrian Boult's unashamedly old-fashioned, but immensely enjoyable set of Brandenburgs dates from the early 1970s. After the invigoratingly robust First Concerto and the fine trumpet playing in No 2 (Gordon Webb), one can truly relish the rich LPO string textures of Nos 3 and (especially) 6, yet the solo playing brings plenty of delicacy in Nos 4 and 5. Rhythms are always lifted, and tempos never drag.
Claudio Arrau has seldom sounded so spontaneously inspired in the recording studio as in his outstanding coupling of Beethoven's Second and Third Piano Concertos with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Galliera, and No 3 has a quite Elysian slow movement. For Nos 4 and 5 we turn to Hans Richter-Haaser and Istvan Kertesz, who are eloquently lyrical in the comparatively elusive No 4, but less spontaneous-sounding in the Emperor.
Garrick Ohlsson's Chopin Polonaises are strong and commanding, always interesting and never inflexible; his Nocturnes are intimately poetic and individual. But it was a curious idea to offer only 14 out of 19; better to have omitted the Andante spianato.
Christoph Eschenbach directs the four Mozart concertos from the keyboard. The result is sensitive and refined, and there is both vitality and elegance. But other versions, notably from Barenboim (EMI, 6/90) and Kovacevich (in No 21 - Philips, 2/90), have more projection of personality.
You can't go wrong with Barbirolli's Tchaikovsky - the ardently romantic Fifth Symphony or the unsurpassed and gloriously sumptuous, yet elegant, Serenade. However, Horenstein's Pathetique is for that conductor's aficionados only: curiously uninvolving, and with an eccentric broadening at the climax of the not exactly sparkling Scherzo. Sargent's Romeo and Juliet, too, lacks spontaneous thrust and passion.
Among the 'Great Violin Concertos' Menuhin's 1958 Brahms with Kempe takes the palm - it's very moving indeed - but Krebbers's boldly Brahmsian account of the Dvorak (if too forwardly balanced) is strongly felt, and has an engagingly light-hearted finale. Spivakov's extrovert yet elegantly polished Tchaikovsky (much better balanced) has enjoyable flair, virtuosity and temperament. The real surprise is Emma Verhey's unforgettable Sibelius (from Netherlands EMI). The sheer ardent force of personality of the solo playing is quite engulfing, and although the orchestra is well back, tuttis have a strong, spacious impact.
The second collection is much less impressive. Christian Ferras is freer, more relaxed and individual in the Mendelssohn (where he plays the slow movement beautifully) than in the Beethoven, which is relatively cool and classical. Neither the Bachauer/Weldon Grieg Piano Concerto, nor the Ushioda/Ozawa Bruch First Violin Concerto are particularly imaginative.
Robert Irving is at his finest conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra (1959-60 vintage) in an enticing 41-minute highlights selection from Adam's Giselle, plus sparkling suites from Delibes's Sylvia and Coppelia (with Yehudi Menuhin contributing delightfully to the 'Pas de deux' in both). The Philharmonia playing is marvellous, and in Les sylphides, Irving is even more seductively languorous than Karajan, while another less adroit orchestration of piano music (Schumann's Carnaval) is a rare bonus.
The CD transfers, generally, are first-class: these recordings all sound far better than they did on LP, and almost all are worth their modest cost. Sadly, there are no notes.'