Edward Gardner approaches the end of his Schubert cycle – only the Ninth to go – with a coupling of the First and Fourth. As in previous instalments (3/19, 5/20), he keeps the music light on its feet without resorting to the provocative extremes of tempo favoured by René Jacobs (with B’Rock). Thus the Andante of the First is kept moving, a sense of expectancy in place of repose, and the one-in-the-bar Menuetto has a real rustic stamp to it. The finale is suavely humorous rather than self consciously quirky.

In the Tragic Fourth we hear Schubert finally becoming Schubert, his harmonic palette expanding and his delight in exploiting it fully audible. Gardner’s care for architecture keeps the Allegro vivace on its toes and prevents the movement’s catchphrase – the sudden drop of a major third to reprise material – from becoming repetitious. The finale fizzes with barely suppressed fury. The Weber ish Fierrabras Overture (also Holliger’s coupling for the First Symphony) provides an atmospheric encore.

Again, Chandos provides almost cinematic sound. One can’t help feeling, though, that Heinz Holliger’s Basel recordings of this repertoire score for the greater insistency of the Swiss woodwind – hardly surprising under the eye and ear of one of the last century’s foremost oboists. Holliger’s laser-like analytic focus doesn’t preclude the affection for this music that you also feel in the playing of the Birmingham band. Perhaps Gardner’s ‘Great’ C major, hopefully due imminently from these quarters, will settle the matter of which is the more desirable of these two recent cycles.