VASILY PETRENKO and the RLPO have done it again, with another fine disc of symphonies of Dmitri Shostakovich.

This time it is the most popular of the set, No. 5, and the shortish No. 9.

These are fine performances which give the woodwind of the Orchestra a chance to shine.

The smaller scale, almost Haydnesque, 9th Symphony is recorded in beautiful sound, and my only complaint is that in No. 5 I would like to hear more bloom in the acoustic. It’s a little grey and clinical. Nevertheless, another success on the budget Naxos label.

Liverpool can take credit for the success of soprano Joan Rodgers.

She studied Russian at the University, and discovered she could sing, to such effect that, having qualified, she went on to the Northern College of Music.

Her experience here has been of great benefit when singing the Russian repertoire, and a new compact disc of settings of words by Pushkin, released by Hyperion, gives us echt Russian diction.

Eleven composers are represented, ranging from Glinka and Rimsky-Korsakov to Medtner and Cui, taking in Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov on the way.

 Malcolm Martineau accompanies on this delightful disc.