Achim Breiling wrote:

>Christopher Webber recently recommended the Chandos complete recordings
>by Bryden Thomson, as this box is now available at bargain price.  Though
>in his review he states that these are rather bad LP-CD transfers.  Some
>other listmemberes raved about some of the Naxos recordings.  But this
>cycle is not complete and there were also some negative opinions on some
>of these discs (specially sym.  1, IIRC).  Finally, of course, I could
>pick up single recommended recordings for each symphony.

I don't know the Chandos transfers, just the originals, some on LP.
Thomson takes a very romantic view of Bax.  When he's on, he's very good,
e.g., 4, 5, 7.  But in his weaker performances, the works take on some
longeurs, e.g., 3, and 6.  He's good in 1 and 2 though he misses the fierce
quality of both.

Lloyd-Jones is a bit austere for me in 1, 2, and 5, though I can understand
people liking all of these better than I do.  In the case of 1 and 2, if
you want something tougher than Thomson, Lloyd-Jones is your man, given
present availability.  In 5, I really think Thomson is outstanding.
Lloyd-Jones is good, but he misses the glory of this work.  L-J makes up
for it in 3, the first really first-rate reading of this symphony and a
weakness in Thompson's set.

All that said, I've lied in a way.  If Lyrita ever releases their
recordings of 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, grab them!  In 1 and 2, they are really
the way to go for a fiercer reading--I like them better than the Naxos.
5 and 7 are excellent alternatives to Thomson and I like 5 better than
Lloyd-Jones.  6 is a must.  A great performance.  The Lyritas have the
best sound of all.

Avoid the Bostok 6, the weakest I've heard from the Classico British
series.  Warning about the Naxos 1.  Some miking problems cause irritating
fierceness in the trombones that I find annoying.

Other works.  The Chandos series has some nice couplings of the orchestra
works.  Look for Boult's recordings of these works.  And check out the
chamber music on Hyperion (best) or Naxos.  Look for the Cello Concerto.

Roger Hecht