Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 (Live)

Album review

Sergey Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 in B flat major was a war symphony, composed in 1944 when World War II was at its height. Yet the work's benign and sometimes cheerful tone is due to personal sentiments of happiness and freedom that Prokofiev expressed in his uplifting score. This 2014 performance by Mariss Jansons and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra was recorded live, and the spontaneity and energy of the playing fully convey the symphony's positive spirit. Jansons takes tempos on the brisk side, especially in the first movement, which can drag in overly dramatic readings, and the feeling of forward propulsion contributes to the work's coherence. But the best features of this RCO Live recording are the spacious depth and crisp details of the hybrid multi-channel SACD, which presents the music with extraordinary clarity and a nearly physical presence. Jansons' 1987 recording of this symphony with the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra receives high marks for its tautness and energy, though this similar interpretation with the RCO has a clear advantage in its superb sound quality.

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