It was Skrowaczewski’s remarkable Halle recording of Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony (Carlton, 3/94) which first alerted me to his qualities as a Brucknerian, fiery and impassioned, with an ability (not given to all Bruckner conductors on record) to get an orchestra to play as if it knew the music inside out. How well the Saarbrucken RSO knows the First Symphony (the original Linz version) I wouldn’t dare to speculate. That said, this terrifically fiery 1995 recording is fervent and affectionate by turns, the rustic vigour of the demonstrably skilful Saarbrucken playing everywhere apt to the spirit of this rumbustious and songful jeu d’esprit.