Beethoven

Symphonies-No 5, Op 67; No 8, Op 93 Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra/ Philippe flerreweghe Pentatone ® JL PTC5186 316(54' • DDD/DSD) Bright and businesslike Beethoven from the Belgian outfit

Good, vigorous, intelligent Beethoven interpretation, and a workable compromise between mostly moderninstrument sonorities (Philippe Herreweghe opts for natural trumpets and Baroque timpani) and a historically informed approach to "vibrato control, articulation and even rhythmicity" (1-lerreweghe's own words). You'll also note a radically embellished oboe solo at 411" into the Fifth Symphony's first movement.

The Eighth comes off best, especially the first movement's development section (excellent brass and timps), though the strings tend to underproject. Herreweghe shapes the Menuetto's Trio most beautifully but although the finale starts with a real fizz, the second idea (on lower strings) hardly registers. The principal appeal here is in the textural conflict between featherlight, shimmering strings and timpani-dominated full tutu, all despatched at the prescribed fast tempo.

The Fifth, a very lively performance if at times a trifle businesslike, is generally well balanced except for certain string lines, particularly in the running passage at 357" into the second movement then at 035" and again at 243" (repeat) where lower strings fail to tell as they should. The finale itself is exciting without generating much in the way of exultation, something that so many rival recordings, from Furtwangler and Toscanini to Skrowaczewski manage to do. Pentatone provides Herreweghe and his orchestra with excellent sound quality, very realistic and with spatially divided violin desks, but given a choice in the "modernauthentic" stakes I would go for David Zinman and the Zijrich Tonhalle (Arte Nova, 7/99). For the purely period-instrument lobby, Roger Norrington's London Classical Players (Virgin, 11/891) still sound pretty impressive. Rob Cowan