Carlos Kleiber's "legendary" disc

Not that I'm against Carlos Kleiber, but I must confess that although I still enjoy listening to these 2 symphonies, I can only do so with some, if not much, reservation.

No doubt the rhythmic drive is almost without peers, and that means a little too much for my taste. Almost hard-driven at times.

For the Seventh, the Allegretto is unconvincingly underpowered compared with those in my favourite list.

This disc is exactly the case, in Fowler's scientific sense, of "the exception that proves the rule". Well, I mean the rule that Kleiber's recordings are always the best doesn't hold up well.