Robin Ticciati & SCO - Schumann: The Symphonies - The Arts Desk

Another new set of Schumann symphonies. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra's playing is magnificent, and Linn's recorded sound is impeccable. Robin Ticciati's 32 tutti strings play with minimal vibrato but plenty of muscle, and their clarity is refreshing. When this set works, it's astonishingly good, especially in vibrant performances of Symphonies 1 and 2. The brass fanfare which kicks off No 1 is weighty and sonorous, but the Allegro molto vivace is bouncy and effervescent. The Larghetto is expansive but well-sustained, and there's a featherlight last movement. No 2's slow introduction moves us from serenity to high anxiety in barely three minutes, and Ticciati sculpts it with complete confidence. He takes the Adagio espressivo daringly slowly, but the Allegro molto vivace is a joy, Matthew Hardy's impeccably tuned timpani adding so much to the final bars.

However, Symphonies 3 and 4 don't come off so well. They're expansive, romantic works, and I found myself missing the weight of a full string section. There are wonderful things here - the SCO's trombones make a glorious noise in No 3's austere slow movement, and the horns shine. But Ticciati isn't always content to let the music flow as it should; the finale is marred by several instances of fussy phrasing, and the movement almost derails. Similar issues mar no 4, played here in its 1851 revision. The transition leading to the finale is wonderful, but the D major apotheosis doesn't quite convince, and the textures occasionally sound muddy and diffuse. But the first two symphonies make this a mandatory purchase.