CD: Beethoven: Symphony No 6, Bayerisches Staatsorchester/ Kleiber

Any disc from Carlos Kleiber is to be treasured, and this is his only recording of the Pastoral Symphony. That ought to make it self-recommending, particularly as the performance has a wonderful natural ease and coherence, with fast tempos that must have seemed radical in 1983 when it was recorded (live, in the Nationaltheater, Munich) but now, more than 20 years and much period-instrument Beethoven later, don't seem so scandalous.

But the sound is execrable - congested and hissy. Though Bavarian Radio apparently recorded the concert, their tape was damaged and this disc has been reconstructed from a cassette made at the concert by Kleiber's son. It won't do as anything more than a historical document; however significant a performance, it still needs to be heard in decent sound.