Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 1-4; Overture, Scherzo & Finale.

Wolfgang Sawallisch, Staatskapelle Dresden. EMI 7243 5 67771 2 5.

I first bought these four symphonies with Sawallisch just shortly after they were recorded in 1972. I instantly fell in love with the performances, but I thought the sound was rather obscure, wallowing, I felt, in excessive hall reverberation, details clouded and fogged over. A few years later I found and bought an imported set of the LPs pressed in Germany, which rendered them slightly clearer sounding. That set sufficed until the recordings were transferred to CD in 1988 in EMI's Studio line. This time, the sound was substantially improved, but it still retained a degree of veiling.

Which brings us to the present. EMI have reissued all four symphonies plus the Overture, Scherzo & Finale in a two-disc, "Great Recordings of the Century" set. The sound is a jot smoother and a tad clearer yet, making it the best transfer of these delightful interpretations we've had. I couldn't recommend anything higher.

EMI have wisely chosen to bundle them in the order they were written, with Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4 on the first disc, along with the Overture, and Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 on the second disc. No. 4 may have the later number, but was actually written second. It apparently came by its present designation because Schumann made extensive revisions to it later. ...