Young midshipman Rimsky-Korsakov was destined for a career at sea and yet he never left music behind, even writing the slow movement of his deeply nationalistic first symphony many miles from home, anchored off distinctly un-Russian Gravesend. The Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra enjoys all its folk song influences in this engaging recording of Rimsky’s later revision of the work. The altogether more sophisticated third symphony dates from 1874, when, his musical reputation by then secure, he displayed his mastery of orchestral colour, brought vividly to life here in the Scherzo and in the closing Allegro con spirito, with Gerard Schwarz in total command.
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