It was not until the 1970s that Eugen Jochum became a regular visitor to Britain. He established relationships first with the LPO and later with the LSO, of which he became conductor laureate (1975-78). This disc neatly encapsulates the special qualities involved in those two relationships, and brings out the contrasts. The Haydn performances were at the Festival Hall in conjunction with recording sessions for DG in which Jochum recorded all 12 of the London Symphonies. That set remains a strong contender among performances using modern instruments, and it is fascinating to compare the two versions. The studio recordings are a degree more polished, a fraction more precise in ensemble, yet in compensation the joy of Haydn’s inspiration, above all the rhythmic lift that Jochum was able to draw from the players, is even more striking in the live accounts. Speeds are generally consistent, though the live performances tend to be a fraction faster (the Minuet of the Military markedly faster). By contrast the ticking clock movement of No 101 is slower and not quite so resilient in the live performance.

Go to the LSO and Hindemith in 1977, and we find quite a different aspect of Jochum’s work in Britain. He brings out the joy of what might be regarded as Hindemith’s most extrovert work, relishing the colour, brilliance and humour in the way the composer orchestrates the Weber themes, giving the music swaggering flamboyance and underlining the sharp contrasts of timbre.

What a pity that the relationship between a strong-willed orchestra and a conductor who could rehearse like a schoolmaster led to the relationship foundering far too quickly. This is a fine memento of a great period.