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® Avow Schnabel (piano), London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by George Szell. World Records Q SH223 (£1:60). Matrix numbers 2EA5963/64, recorded January 1938. From HMV DB3712-7 (4/39).

There are at least two fine bargain versions of the Concerto in the catalogues— Kogan (HMV Concert Classics SXLP30063, 12/66) and Francescatti (CBS Classics 61123, 12/63)—but this noble reading, expressive and richly played, will obviously command the loyalties of many collectors. It is...

Michael Ponti's progress through the lesser-known by-ways of the Romantic repertory is one to be viewed with interest and quite a lot of indulgence. Despite the shortcomings of some of the recordings and accompaniments, not to mention of the works themselves, and despite his own tendency to...

I can't quite see the point of this reissue. Even in 1953, when there were very few discs of Bnicluier's symphonies, the original Vox record was hardly acceptable owing to its poor sound; now that it has had an electronic face-lift, it certainly sounds much brighter, but the quality is still...

RAVEL. Daphnis et Chloe—Suite No. 2'. Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy. Item marked with Mendelssohn Club Chorus, Philadelphia. RCA ARL1 0029 (£2.90). Available also as quadraphonic ARD1 0029 (6/73).

The care with which this performance has been prepared appears in every step of its history. When the idea of playing the Elgar Second Symphony was proposed as a follow-up to the Solti Elgar First Symphony, Sir Georg hesitated. Learning a big score of such complexity from the very beginning...