Spohr: Symphonies 3 & 6; The Fall of Babylon/Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana/Shelley (Hyperion)

Howard Shelley and his admirable Italian players have reached a curious landmark in their continuing exploration of Louis Spohr's symphonies for Hyperion – the "historical" sixth, in which each movement reflects a period in music: Bach-Handel 1720; Haydn-Mozart 1780; Beethoven 1810; and his own era, 1840. It's a wonky old piece, but it reflects Spohr's Mendelssohnian fascination with earlier music and his complete mastery of form. Also here is the poetic third, which represents a step away from the classical ideal towards a freer romantic horizon, but it fails to command the same attention as that wacky sixth.