# 100 Favorites: # 83



## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

*Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
Lorin Maazel, Cleveland Orchestra (Telarc)*










The draw here is Maazel's reading of Shostakovich's Fifth. It's a magnificent, galvanizing performance, quintessentially Russian and epic in scope. Among Maazel's many recordings, this is certainly the best that I've ever heard. Much of the credit must go to the orchestra. The Clevelanders play with awe-inspiring power and clarity. Such perfect balance! Everything is luxury class; everything is "to the max." Just as important, there's no trace of the bloodless virtuosity that you sometimes find with this orchestra. Instead, the playing is full of feeling. It's as if the music has been somehow _heightened_ and _intensified_ -- from the haunting, gentle moments to the howling climaxes. The adagio is particularly heart-rending. The finale takes a convincing middle path somewhere between Bernstein's exultation and Rostropovich's doom-and-gloom.

One last thought: When listening to this performance, I've never found myself caught up in matters of interpretation or wrapped up in finding some key to unlock the composer's intentions. I've never asked myself, "What does Shostakovich mean here?" Instead, I'm caught up in a whirlwind and carried away by the music. Like all great art, Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony defies simple definitions; its meaning is both obvious and beyond words.


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