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Review by stvnharr February 23, 2005 (11 of 11 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics: |
This is a very fine recording of the Shostakovich Fifth Symphony, both for the performance and the sound. One thing I have liked about the LSO Live recordings has been that they are so dynamic, starting with the cd's a few years ago. This recording certainly is dynamic. It is recorded at a rather low level, so careful volume setting is needed, unless you want to change the volume while listening. The loud passages will test the resolution of one’s audio system.
As for the reading here, well, I have always liked Rostropovich’s tempos in the Shostakovich symphonies, and I do so here as well. I also have his mid 90’s Teldec recording with the National Symphony, and sound aside, it sounds similar to this recording. But the sound really puts this one over the top. This recording is much preferred to the recent Gergiev recording, although that one does include a nice 9th.
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Review by thepilot June 19, 2005 (6 of 7 found this review helpful)
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| Awesome performance with an LSO that play like angels, with great energy, feeling and wonderfully crisp ensemble. The recording is also very fine, and the Barbican problems seem to have been overcome almost entirely. The rasp of the brass and the sheen of the strings is caught perfectly, and if the balance is a little bit dry and close, it adds to the detail and clarity of the sound. Extreme dynamic range will test all but the most HiEnd systems. Highly recommended and eagerly awaiting for the 8th to reach my hands.
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Review by Coffee Kev October 19, 2005 (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
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At first I didn't like this recording. It is rather dry and I have so many other performances, it's hard to displace them, especially since I was probably hoping to hear one just like one of my favorites in full DSD sound.
The sound is a bit dry. If you have Rostropovich's earlier performance with the National Symphony on Teldec, this one takes some getting used to.
That caveat aside, the music making is first-rate. The sound must be boosted in volume, which is an indication of a wide dynamic range, but is counter-intuitive.
I assume it is dry because the microphones need to be placed closer in live recordings to reduce coughs, wrapped candies etc. Well, the audience never intrudes, so they were successful if that's why they did it.
My favorite performance? There are so many. Stokowski is wonderful but so is Rostropovich, who probably lived what Stokowski only imagines (Ah, but what an imagination Stokowski had!).
Play it loud. At the premiere, the legend is that the Russian audience wept at the tragedy in the muusic, which is profoundly sad. This recording portrays that level of passion and that's what counts.
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