The performance of the symphony is a reissue, previously reviewed and earning only a “7” overall. Hearing it again confirms my original view of it as not bad, but marginally heavy-handed (the coda of the first movement, and a scherzo that fails to sustain its rhythmic bite through to the end), and not a good value considering that the original release had no coupling. Now, however, it comes in tandem with an absolutely smoking version of Belshazzar’s Feast, easily the finest performance in a decade or so, and the combination of the two earns this particular pairing a firm recommendation even if you will want at least one alternative that captures the symphony more fully.
There seem to be two Colin Davises operating on any given day: slow and mannered, or fast and blazing. Thank God the latter one showed up for Belshazzar, which features swift tempos, absolutely thrilling choral singing (the “Praise Ye” section is hair-raising), and orchestral playing that simply raises the roof. Baritone Peter Coleman-Wright isn’t particularly special, but he gets through his relatively brief part adequately. The concluding celebration, after Belsha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-zzar’s percussive slaying, manages to be as fast as possible but also rhythmically incisive, and the LSO engineers capture the proceedings in sonics that are better balanced and warmer than in the symphony. So, no hesitation now–go for it.
