"Vladimir Jurowski's tenure with the LPO has been one of ferocious imagimation and, sometimes, greatness. This disc finds him on his home turf in two of the undeservedly lesser-known Tchaikovsky symphonies ... No 2 ... begins with a first movement as bracing as a walk in the snow ... the gossamer lightness and balletic stance of the Scherzo is irresistible ... The third symphony shares these basic ideals ... Superb all round"

"Jurowski and the London Philharmonic give a delectable account of Tchaikovsky's usually less favoured Third Symphony ... Jurowski's conducting remains purposeful throughout ... And the finale is never overbearing, thanks to the LPO's sensitive shaping of its mazurka rhythm. Not so successful is the less tricky Second Symphony. The brisk first movement is well characterised, but the second movement's jaunty march sets off just too smartly ... After this, the finale goes very well"

"It's good to have Tchaikovsky's 'Little Russian' and 'Polish' Symphonies coupled together ... Even better when these performances are so good, Vladimir Jurowski and the London Philharmonic doing these splendid pieces proud ... Symphony 2 opens arrestingly with a nice scrunchy fortissimo chord ... played incisively and conducted with leeway for poetic contrasts, tension maintained throughout ... The five-movement 'Polish' is just as successful ... soulful and scintillating, played with relish and, contrapuntally, benefitting from Jurowski's use of antiphonal violins ... These performances are excellent and enjoyable, bypassing comparisons"

"Recommended: There are many other fine recordings of these two works, especially from complete sets of the symphonies, but the performances by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Vladimir Jurowski are outstanding in both conception and execution, and I can't say I've heard better accounts of either symphony from the plentiful competition. Here's a case where live performances clearly stand with the best studio efforts"