Daniel Barenboim first recorded Elgar’s great E flat Symphony with the London Philharmonic in 1972 and while the intervening four decades have confirmed certain characteristics in his interpretation, the differences between the two orchestras and their contrasting levels of familiarity with the music are significant. Broadly speaking, although there isn’t much to choose between them tempo-wise, the earlier version is the more robust of the two, with a devil-may-care exuberance in the first movement and warmth to spare elsewhere. The Staatskapelle Berlin remake has less mud on its boots and more light and shade; it’s also subtler (ie the transition into the first movement’s aching second subject), and more mellow in tone. Barenboim has a wonderful way with soft string passages; at 3'02" into the Larghetto, for example, the second set, so rapturously beautiful, and the very close of the symphony where, in addition to nicely detailed winds and some expressively curling portamentos, there’s a mass of helpfully clarified counterpoint. The scherzo is brilliantly played, though the ferocious central section sounded less muted, more unhinged in London (also try Sir Adrian Boult in 1977 on ICA). And there’s the finale, the second subject from 1'25" (1'30" with the LPO), so much lighter than before, and with the theme winding its way through the orchestra almost nonchalantly, transparently too; but come the big climax (2'06"), where we’re used to a hearty salute from the trumpets, where are they? Hardly audible, I’m afraid.

As to reservations, here I realise I’m on very dangerous ground because I honestly feel that although, on the whole, the Staatskapelle do a wonderful job, they sound as if the music isn’t quite in their blood (yet), whereas Sir Adrian secured a lump in the throat without even trying. As to digital rivals, I’d opt for Sir Andrew Davis, either with the Philharmonia or the BBC Symphony Orchestra.