With his lidded eyes, pointed moustache, bald head and gentlemanly demeanour, Adrian Boult seemed the consummate English conductor.

Born in 1889, he was a product of the Edwardian era. Never one to throw his arms around, he believed the conductor was not part of the entertainment – the music was the be-all and end-all. Boult’s stick technique was logical and precise, but as we hear here, he could whip up excitement whenever he wanted to.

Adrian Boult, 1950s. All Photos © Decca/Eloquence

By the time of the LP record boom of the 1950s, Boult had over 30 years’ conducting experience. He had led the BBC Symphony Orchestra, which meant his repertoire was broad (although we associate him mainly with English music). His late recordings were made for EMI, but his 1950s Decca recordings with the London Philharmonic (and some with the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra) caught him at full energy. Much of this material has been reissued previously, but the English Music box in particular is a must.

Volume 1: British Music

This set contains Boult’s first recording of the nine Vaughan Williams symphonies (recorded between 1952 and 1960),...