This is a sincere reading of the work, but sincerity should not be confused with a lack of sophistication. The orchestral textures are pristine, the tempos and colours bracing and plaintive, with faultless work from clarinettist Chris Richards.

The joys of the performance lie in the way the acoustical demands of the work have been met

If Davis's handling of the score lacks the dramatic punch of the Kleibers' readings, there are some fine things here - his phrasing of the score's many lyrical moments, the playing of the orchestra and the careful and exciting casting. Simon O'Neill is virtually perfect for Max, not too über-Heldentenor and not too light

Brewer is an Agathe of exceptional beauty and poise. Sally Matthews’ lovely Ännchen is so riveting that she could just as well have been singing Agathe. Simon O’Neill’s Max is neither too Wagnerian nor too Mozartean...this last opera recording by Sir Colin Davis is worth acquiring for all admirers of this uniquely enticing conductor. A worthy memorial.

Davis plays scrupulous attention to Weber’s orchestral subtleties, which he cherishes as lovingly as a good Berliozian should…Christine Brewer floats a lovely tone in ‘Leise, leise’ and especially ‘Und ob die Wolke’. There is no dialogue, but some fine orchestral playing… with Davis drawing a memorably brooding atmosphere from all his players.

this is a first-class recording of Weber’s most popular opera. Not only is the singing and playing of the highest order, it also demonstrates perfectly the qualities of Sir Colin Davis’s conducting, and is a fitting valedictory tribute to a great man.

Over the decades, Davis’s tempi have become more measured, but the Wolf’s Glen scene still has spook factor aplenty...Chorus and orchestra are the stars here.

a moving testament to the late Sir Colin Davis, as well as a thrilling performance in its own right...The chorus, especially in the Wolf's Glen, enthralls, as does the orchestra, rising to every challenge, urgent or lyrical, heroic or poetic. Davis, as ever, balances unrushed tempi with moments of raw excitement and aural extravagance

the love [Davis] felt toward Der Freischütz can be felt in almost every bar...there is nothing galumphing here, and the LSO make themselves happily rustic whenever the music swings that way...The vocal cast? Always decent, sometimes compelling.