There are two attractions here: the only current recording of the Short Symphony and a fine recording of Symphony No 1 – at last. It started life as the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra, written for Copland’s teacher Nadia Boulanger whose performances launched his career in 1925. Six years later the reworking of the score without organ was first performed but it has never made much headway. Copland’s own live recording with the French National Orchestra in 1971 (Etcetera, 6/91), has dated badly and is of only documentary interest. Alsop and the Bournemouth players make a fine case for this neglected score with many characteristics of mature Copland.

There are also two versions of Copland’s Short Symphony. It was first played in Mexico City under Carlos Chávez in 1934 but the rhythmic difficulties were considered so great that the American premiere had to wait 10 years. Meanwhile, despairing of orchestral performances, Copland made the version for sextet. There are no difficulties now for the BSO but Tilson Thomas with the San Francisco Orchestra (RCA, 3/97 – nla) had more sparkle and a better recording.

There are odd circumstances about the Dance Symphony too. It was taken from the ballet Grohg – never performed – that Copland wrote during his student years in Paris. In 1992 Oliver Knussen conducted the full version, proved its quality as an outstanding early-20th-century ballet score, and recorded it (Argo, 10/94 – nla). In the absence of a full recording of Grohg, the Dance Symphony completes an essential CD.