The Reformation Symphony surely sounds at its best when played straightforwardly and vigorously, and there is plenty of determination and spirit throughout d'Avalos's performance. He generates a good deal of tension in the first movement's slow introduction, which is released very effectively as the stormy Allegro con fuoco main section is reached. The music is strongly played, but not driven too hard, and though some of the playing is a little imprecise the general effect is very impressive. A bright and brisk account of the second movement follows, and it only seems a pity that there is insufficient contrast in the trio section—d'Avalos could have relaxed the tempo and tension just a little here. The Andante is expressively played, however, and precedes quite a tough, very positive account of the finale. In a way he follows the style adopted by Toscanini in his supreme performance, but doesn't quite reach the same heights. Abbado favours a much more inward, more subtle, more soft-centred approach, with careful observation of detail and marked contrasts of tempo within the first movement in particular. Weller's performance is heavy; rather dull in my view and simply not com-petitive.
After having reviewed Harnoncourt's somewhat uninspired account of Die erste Walpurgisnacht, I approached second and third hearings of this curious score with no great relish. Again it seemed to me that Mendelssohn's genteel style was some way away from evoking the passion and indeed violence expressed in the text (which is not, by the way, supplied with the Pickwick issue). Throughout this work d'Avalos again conducts in a direct, clear-cut fashion, to some effect. The solo singing is good, particularly that of Robert Tear, and the Philharmonia Chorus sing out in a confident, well-prepared fashion. Dohnanyi is less well-served in general by his soloists, but the choral singing is again very good, while his conducting is lighter in style and a little more subtle. My choice for this work on balance would be d'Avalos, whose disc is also very well recorded.'