Paavo Berglund always turns in musicianly, conscientious performances that command respect but to which I very rarely return for pleasure. I see that I found much to admire in the Sixth and Seventh Symphonies when they first appeared, and thought The Oceanides “marvellously atmospheric... a masterly performance that can be recommended alongside Rattle’s”. Well, perhaps that was going a bit too far! To be brief, these performances never let one down, they never fall below a certain standard but nor do they reach the heights. Even in the Sixth Symphony which is the best thing here, Karajan, Sir Colin Davis and Rattle have much more to offer. The recordings still sound very good but if you want these symphonies at mid price and in double-pack format, you need look no further than the Davis set. '