Sir Colin Davis has served the Sixth with distinction on his two previous recordings; in its linear drive, sureness of purpose and sinewy strength this newcomer is closer in spirit (if not duration) to his Boston account than the slightly more relaxed RCA remake. The LSO strings may not have the silky poise and depth of tone of their Boston counterparts (the close-set sound does them few favours) but they respond with polish and plenty of expressive ardour for their chief.

As before, Davis takes a swifter view of the magical second movement than is customary, but here as elsewhere the luminous textures glow authentically and it’s remarkable how much atmosphere he manages to distil within a comparatively restricted acoustic. I like the feisty snap and elemental force of the succeeding Poco vivace. The finale, too, has real fire in its belly, and if Davis’s unusually propulsive tempo for the Allegro assai at fig L (5'29") brings with it just a hint of fluster, the closing measures are all the more moving for their lack of glamour.

I’m not quite so convinced by the Fifth, superior though it is to both studio recordings. Davis paces the first movement in masterly fashion (that tricky transition into its second half and subsequent poco a poco stretto hold no terrors for him), yet at the same time there’s a hard-hearted quality about the LSO’s immaculately drilled response. In the slow movement the strings’ running quavers from fig B (1'50") lack suppleness and the music doesn’t smile as it can (try the Poco a poco stretto at 4'40").

The finale sets out excitingly (second violins and violas at 0'53" will make you sit up), and its noble second subject is precisely that, but the coda acquires a stately, reverential grandeur that sounds just a touch forced. It’s an intelligent, imposing reading overall, but not terribly involving. The conductor’s audible groans won’t be to all tastes, but at least the refurbished Barbican acoustic seems to have acquired an agreeable quotient of reverberation in the 15 months since the recording of the Sixth.

Exemplary LSO presentation as ever, and, for the Sixth alone, well worth the modest asking-price.