Album: Bizet, Symphony in C etc / Järvi (Virgin Classics)

Paavo Jarvi and the Orchestre de Paris's delicately shaded recording attempts a silk-purse makeover on the piglet's ear of Bizet's juvenile Symphony in C, lending lustre to the adagio, grit to the bagpipe drone of the scherzo, and Mendelssohnian fizz to the allegro vivace.

Jeux d'Enfants is more characterful, with a hint of Carmen in the opening march, and a touch of sauce in the galop. Roma is less easily redeemed, though the violin and horn solos in the turgid third movement are elegantly turned.