The Kalinnikov symphonies are some of my very favorite music, and I own several recordings (and have given away some duds, too). I'm still waiting for a recording that checks all the boxes. These are the ones I've kept and what I see as their shortcomings:
Jarvi 1& 2 (Chandos) great performance, but way too much reverb
Kuchar 1 & 2 (Naxos) gets the phrasing right, but some pretty scruffy playing in places
Bakels 1 & 2 (Bis) the phrasing is not right, but very good playing & sound
Ashkenazy 1 & 2 (Exton) The Iceland SO have a very dark sound here that doesn't really fit the music very well. (Totally bizarre cover photo; looks like a Martian landscape.)
Yamada 1 (Exton) Better played than the Bakels, better sound than all the others, but still not quite up to Jarvi's tempos and phrasing.
Oh well, I guess it is like with Raff's 5th. Somebody's bound to get it spot on eventually.
Jarvi 1& 2 (Chandos) great performance, but way too much reverb
Kuchar 1 & 2 (Naxos) gets the phrasing right, but some pretty scruffy playing in places
Bakels 1 & 2 (Bis) the phrasing is not right, but very good playing & sound
Ashkenazy 1 & 2 (Exton) The Iceland SO have a very dark sound here that doesn't really fit the music very well. (Totally bizarre cover photo; looks like a Martian landscape.)
Yamada 1 (Exton) Better played than the Bakels, better sound than all the others, but still not quite up to Jarvi's tempos and phrasing.
Oh well, I guess it is like with Raff's 5th. Somebody's bound to get it spot on eventually.