Compare the spirited but rough-hewn recordings made by British orchestras prior to 1960 with the hundreds of brilliant recordings made in the 1960s and 1970s by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) and you will get some idea of the revolution wrought by its founder and conductor Neville Marriner. Originally a violinist, he saw the need, and the commercial possibilities, for a hand-picked ensemble of top players and set about making that happen with determination, wit, panache and a modicum of refined ruthlessness. His global impact on orchestral standards was immense, even if his ultra-polished style began to sound dated as the period-instrument movement took hold.
So it was fitting that, on what would have been his 100th birthday, the ASMF offered
