This is an immensely likeable new version of Saint-Saens justly popular Organ Symphony. The LPO play throughout with great energy and commitment; the first movement has real dynamism and the Scherzo is zestfully vivacious with the splendid digital recording allowing remarkable detail, with the piano obbligato coming through naturally without exaggeration. The recording was made in Guildford Cathedral using the cathedral organ and the combined texture achieved by Brian Culverhouse is skilfully managed. The C major organ entry is a quite superb moment, overwhelming in effect but as the finale proceeds the balance of the massively rich organ timbre naturally recedes within the orchestra to avoid spoiling detail. The result is very exciting indeed with the closing pages producing a breathtakingly spacious grandeur. One has the feeling throughout the symphony that the players are thoroughly enjoying themselves and relishing every bar, while in the Poco adagio section there is a contrasting delicacy of feeling, with Saint-Saens's lovely melody allowed by Batiz to unfold in the most natural, spontaneous way, the mood elegiac rather than overtly passionate, yet not lacking warmth, so that the climax is both noble and romantic.
Overall the sound is richly flattering, with a lovely bloom given to the strings. In the finale when the cymbals cap the massive organ theme I was reminded of the famous Telarc recording of Mussorgsky's Pictures from an Exhibition (Telarc/Conifer DG10042, 2/80—my personal yardstick for sumptuous orchestral recording) and no praise could be higher. In short, this is a riveting sonic experience as well as a musically satisfying one and I think the composer would have been delighted. An unequivocal first choice now on LP (and not forgetting Barenboim's classic account on DG 2530 619, 4/76). The ASV cassette is remarkably successful in its own right. It is on iron-oxide stock but by fractionally reducing the dynamic range, the transfer captures the full quality of the recording without distortion and with comparable detail. Both are in the demonstration class, with the LP leading the field.'