These symphonies were originally recorded for Philips in 1972 (Nos. 4, 5 & 7), 1973 (Nos. 3 & 6) and 1974 (Nos. 1, 2, 8 & 9). In general the readings are solid, middle-of-the-road affairs, with good sound for their day, but not up-close and as vivid as the state-of-recordings today. Probably the greatest strength of the set is its consistency of approach: Masur does not impose his personality on the music, preferring instead to present rather straightforward performances and let the music speak for itself. And, as we all know, this music can speak for itself quite boldly – listening after listening.