BEETHOVEN. Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, " Pastoral" conducted by Paul Paray. Mercury MRL2518 (12 in., 393. 71d.).

Pittsburgh SO, Steinberg (5/63) CTL7023

VSO, Klemperer (8/53) PL6960

RPO, Beecham (9/53) 33C X1062 294 VPO, Furtwaengler (12/53) (H)ALP1041

V Op, Scherchen (1/54) WLP5108

Concertgebouw, Kleiber (2/54) LXT2872

Philharmonia, Karajan (4/54) 33CX1124

NBC SO, Toscanini (6/54) (H)A LP11.29

VSO, Otterloo (6/56) A8L3043

NBC SO, Stokowski (12/55) (H)ALP1268

Berlin Phil, Jochum (11/66) DGM18202

I couldn't believe my ears, and darted to the turntable to see if it was set by mistake to 45. But it wasn't; Paray really was taking the first movement like that. "Cheerful impressions received on arrival in the country ", wrote Beethoven on the score ; this is a cheerful impression all right, but the arrival in the country is by Green Line coach – 7'40" door to door (Jochum takes 10' 30" for the same fare-stage).

Most listeners will find this impression too cheerful by three-quarters, and listen no further. But they will admit that the orchestra,  which boasts some fine soloists, do their best to make the eccentric good performances of the remaining movements—though the slow movement, too, is on the hasty side.

But as the recording, while nowhere technically defective, is slightly congested and thin in general tone, this new disc would not in any event be a serious competitor with the best of its rivals. For these include at least three versions of the very first class: Kleiber's Decca, Karajan's Columbia and Jochum's DGG – this last,  however, only for the man, at the opposite pole from Paray, who knows beyond a doubt that he likes to arrive in the country on foot and with all the time in the world. 

MM (Malcolm Macdonald)