Long ago, I heard a magnificent Rachmaninov 2 with Tadaaki Otaka, and that predisposed me favourably to this release. By and large, he and the MSO don’t disappoint. I suppose this reading could best be described as “middle-of-the-road Romantic”. The tempo in the first movement is steady, (reminiscent of Klemperer’s magnificent traversal – without his gothic touches) although the Largo, at a few seconds under 12’, is on the flowing rather than fast side.

In the Scherzo, he delineates every strand – again, like Klemperer – and highlights the delightful way various instruments mimic each other. In the Finale, the work’s ambivalent ending is emphasised. Recently, in this very publication, Mark Wigglesworth opined that the New World Symphony is essentially Czech (or Bohemian) and was inspired by homesickness as much as the wide open prairies and “big sky” of America. The MSO plays well, and I especially like the forward, fruity woodwind which give the work a “Czech” feel.

I have two reservations: Otaka omits the first-movement exposition repeat. This, I feel, is a mistake because it renders the movement too short in relation to the subsequent slow movement. Second, I think he slows down a little too much for comfort in the famous flute second subject, although the playing is lovely. It’s a pity that this reading is up against just about every great Czech conductor – Kubelik, Talich, Ancerl – not to mention Karajan. My own two favourite recommendations are Bernstein’s first CBS version, an absolute cracker (unlike his later one – an absolute disaster) and Harnoncourt on Teldec. Still, no one need have any qualms about this newcomer.

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