Search - Mahler, Svetlanov, Russian State Symphony Orch :: Symphony 5

Extreme Conducting!

Scriabinmahler | UK | 01/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This outrageously exaggerated performance of 5th, conducted by the much missed heavy-weight conductor, Evgeny Svetlanov, is Marmite of classical music recording - you either hate it or love it! The extreme contrast of tempi, gigantic dynamic range, percussions and brass trying to out blast each other, and screaming strings! It dwarfs even Tennstedt's famous Royal Festival Hall live recording.



1st movement is dangerously slow (at times even sluggish), explosions are massive. 2nd movement is as stormy as can be. 3rd movement is again very slow and sensitively played. Adagietto is heart-renddingly beautiful and poignant - I've never come across more deeply felt reading. The last movement is wonderfully detailed and very powerful. This is Mahler unlike any other, and I'm sure the composer would have loved it.



1st m-14'40

2nd m-14'42

3rd m-19'26

4th m-09'55

5th m-14'17



Performed by Russian State SO. Beautifully recorded in 1995, DDD, with huge dynamic rage."