It is now some 16 years since Previn's first recording of A London Symphony for RCA, and the new version shows him adopting a more introspective, yielding response to the work. In the old performance there was a muscular directness in his approach, with rhythms strongly projected and the LSO persuaded to play in a vigorous, energetic fashion. Previn's now more soft-grained style pays particular dividends in the slow movement, with a slower basic tempo and the most poetic playing from the RPO (though I was a little disturbed at the slightly thick oboe tone, veering towards the continental style and not the sound VW would have had in mind). In general the new Previn is a finely conceived, sensitive, and beautifully played account which will give much pleasure. But competition is strong, especially when the quality of the new recording does not outshine the other rather elderly versions. It's true that it has an extra refinement and range, but the acoustic is curiously undefined, and there is little bite in the string sound: it's all a bit recessed and lacking in impact, and I had to turn the volume control up much more than usual in order to get a satisfactory response.
Both the earlier Previn and Boult's EMI version still sound well. The younger Previn's fresh approach is very appealing, and with Sir Adrian there is the distillation of over 40 years' experience in conducting the symphony, so that his is a richly evocative and atmospheric interpretation. Then there is Barbirolli's ardent, exciting performance on PRT. There is a particular urgent, joyous quality in his conducting, and although player for player the Halle are not the equal of the three London orchestras they play with great intensity and commitment. The 1957 sound is a little less sophisticated than the others, but it has plenty of presence and impact, so that Barbirolli's is the performance I shall return to most frequently. His version has no fill-up, though it is at bargain price, while Boult offers the Tallis Fantasia and Previn's RCA disc has both the Wasps Overture and the Concerto accademico. The new Previn adds a performance of The Lark Ascending which is routinely played by Barry Griffiths and misses the rapt, uplifting quality that Hugh Bean and Jean Pougnet have on record brought to this magical score.'