Classical Companion

Symphony No 1, Sir Colin Davis
Profil Medien PH05040
Remarkable live recording with the Dresden Staatskapelle given in 1998. It easily displaces his two LSO versions.

Symphony No 1, Sir John Barbirolli
Barbirolli Society SJB1017 (two CDs)
This earlier version with his beloved Hallé Orchestra is the one to have. The set includes Introduction & Allegro, Enigma Variations, etc.

Symphony No 1, Sir Adrian Boult
Testament SBT1229 (mono)
Coupled with In The South, this is from 1949 (LPO) and full of thrust and tension unmatched in later versions.
Symphonies Nos 1 and 2, Sakari Oramo
BIS BIS1939 and BIS1879 (two SACDs)
Oramo's Swedish players catch the idiom perfectly and No 1 comes with a characterful Cockaigne overture.

Symphonies Nos 1 and 2, Sir Georg Solti
Decca 443 8562 (two discs)
A Radio 3 mid-price 'library choice' recommendation including In The South and Cockaigne Ovts. No 1 is separately available.

Symphony No 3 Sir Colin Davis
LSO Live LSO0019 (44.1kHz/16-bit download)
Inexpensive way of getting to know Payne's reconstruction. The original BBC SO/Andrew Davis CD is on NMC NMCD053.