NIELSEN. Symphony No. 5, Op. 50. Suisse Romande Orchestra conducted by Paul Kletzki. Decca SXL6491 (k2.39).

Selected comparison.

New Philh, Horenstein (8/69) RHS300

Now that Bernstein's version of the Fifth Symphony is deleted, this new issue is the only full-price alternative to Horenstein's account on Unicorn. Kletzki is fully at home in the Scandinavian repertory: he has recorded some Sibelius, he gave the premiere of Holmboe's Eighth Symphony in the early 1950s, and so it is no surprise to find him conducting Nielsen's Fifth. His reading has distinct merits: first, the Swiss orchestra play with a certain freshness and enthusiasm which communicates to the listener and indeed many details are more poetically observed than in Horenstein's performance; there is, for example, a greater sense of mystery at fig. 25 in the first movement. And the clarinet peroration is played with great poetic feeling by Robert Gugolz. Mr Kletzki takes the first movement faster than any of his colleagues, faster even than did Tuxen on his 78 set made for HMV, though by the time he comes to the G major section he arrives at a tempo giusto that is thoroughly convincing. His view of the second movement does not differ greatly from those of Tuxen or Jensen though the Swiss orchestra is no match for the Danish Radio Orchestra of that period. Another strong point in favour of this new version is the recording which reveals more detail, is more truthfully balanced and has great presence. Both Bernstein and Horenstein suffer in respect of balance: the percussion assume unnatural prominence and the side drum at its first entrance sounds far larger than life and swamps the sound picture later on. All the same one cannot escape the fact that the Suisse Romande Orchestra, though it has improved in quality under Kletzki, still has some difficulty when it is tackling the more demanding passages in the second movement. It is certainly no match for the New Philharmonia and the roughness of the string playing in the second movement particularly is likely to prove irksome with repetition. The record will undoubtedly strike some readers as poor measure: the symphony lasts a little under thirty-four minutes. Horenstein gives us a poetic, well-balanced account of En SagadrOm as a fill-up. His account of the Symphony is of particular value in that it removes Erik Tuxen's emendations to the score and though there are times when one feels the want of lyrical fervour from the strings, his conception of the work underlines its architectural strength to great effect. But still I should in fairness repeat that I enjoyed this splendidly recorded new version too. Readers may like to note that Jensen's fine account, coupled with the First Symphony, is now available on the Decca Eclipse label. (ECS570, 9/70). R.L.