Although neither composer could claim to be a naturalborn conductor, these landmark recordings of Holst’s The Planets and Vaughan Williams’s Symphony No. 4 offer undimmed and thrilling recorded testaments. Holst’s way with The Planets is notably direct and swift of tempo. The resulting freshness and energy, together with a refusal to linger or indulge the music, are striking by comparison with many slower, present day performances. One of only a handful of commercial recordings with Vaughan Williams at the helm, this galvanising 1937 performance of his Symphony No. 4 unleashes a visceral force unmatched by later recordings of the work.