Klaus Mäkelä follows his well-received Sibelius symphony cycle with the Oslo Philharmonic with three early, contrasting Shostakovich symphonies. The vividly realised freshness of their attack and attitude suggests the still young partnership is well on its way to becoming a veritable powerhouse with plenty to say about works already familiar and well-worn on disc.

Still in his 20s, Mäkelä claims “Shostakovich has aways haunted me” and he has pursued the composer’s phantom presence in his first seasons in Oslo since taking up the baton as Chief Conductor in 2020. In that he has benefitted from the orchestra’s long association with Shostakovich’s symphonies under his predecessor, Maris Jansons.

In a telling comment in the booklet, Mäkelä makes the bold assertion “I would like to think that we’re in the tradition of Mravinsky and the Leningrad Philharmonic”. It’s quite the aspiration, but one borne out by his comparably acute layering of sound, attention to detail and emotional thrust.

His choice of symphonies here – so distinct from each other that they almost sound like the work of different hands...