Mariss Jansons’s recent Munich Sibelius First (BMG, 2/06) left me with decidedly mixed feelings; even more so this new account of the Second. For starters, both sound and balance are less convincingly managed than on Berglund’s recent live recording with the LPO from the Royal Festival Hall (another SACD hybrid – LPO, 12/05). If the veteran Finn’s undeniably thoughtful and finely played reading doesn’t really kick into blazing life until the finale, it does at least show up the failings of the present offering: a disconcertingly pristine, calculated display, where spontaneity and depth of feeling barely get a look in (for what it’s worth, I feel much the same way about Jansons’s earlier Oslo PO version – EMI, 7/93R).

I can’t imagine the performance’s statistics raising any eyebrows, but when there’s nothing tugging at the heart-strings, time stands still in the wrong way, and not even the great Amsterdam orchestra’s exquisite polish and wonderfully homogeneous, rounded tone will, I fear, entice me back for a second hearing. Jansons is also not shy about ‘improving’ Sibelius’s scoring. No, your ears are not deceiving you: from fig 1 or 5'03" in the first movement the bassoons and string basses are indeed joined by a trombone (funny, or rather not so funny – you’d think the composer knew best).

Summing up, then, a release that runs the risk of leaving the listener short-changed both emotionally and monetarily – full price for only 44 minutes of music – and no challenge to such sizzling and inspirational oldies as the 1935 Koussevitzky (Pearl, 7/90), LSO/Monteux (come on Decca, pull your finger out!), RPO/Barbirolli (Chesky) or Beecham’s live BBC Symphony orchestra performance (BBC Legends, A/04), each of which will transport to you an entirely different dimension of insight and awe. However, if up-to-date sound is a must, do lend an ear to Oramo and the CBSO – sparky and involving – on Erato (7/01).