MENDELSSOHN

Symphonies Nos 1 & 3 (Scottish) NDR Radiophilharmonie/andrew Manze

Pentatone PTC 5186595 (hybrid CD/SACD) 70:48 mins

Clean playing, excellent speeds, a manageable reverberation time (around four seconds), intelligent introduction of dynamics where they are plainly lacking and sensitive phrasing with no mannered rubato: in all these respects, a thoroughly enjoyable performance. But the recording is less happy. Especially in the First Symphony, the timpani emits a booming sound that becomes really quite intrusive over time, and more especially when playing notes just above those of the bass line, producing a rather thick texture.