Prokofiev's Fifth Symphony is one of those works which has always been lucky on the gramophone. It has rarely been absent from the catalogue and few of its many recordings have fallen short of excellence. One of the very best was the first, by Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, which RCA should restore to circulation, but others ranging from Rodzinski, Ormandy and Karajan through to the most recent digital issues have served it well. Only Jansons with the Leningrad Philharmonic (Chandos) give it without any coupling: it usually appears, as it does here, in harness with the Classical. When Karajan's was reissued by DG two years ago, it was so coupled and I am at a loss to understand why its sojourn in the catalogue was so brief.
As a recording, this newcomer can hold its head high among any rivals; in terms of detail, presence and body, it is first class. The perspective is natural, the definition, particularly at the bottom end of the aural spectrum, quite outstanding, and there is impressive clarity. Rudolf Barshai gets cultured playing from the Philharmonia Orchestra and gives a fine account of the score. The performance is well thought out, tempos are judiciously chosen and the architecture of the work carefully shaped. In the slow movement, however, the melodic lines need to sing with greater lyrical intensity and I felt at times the need for more zest and bite. The first movement is dignified and unhurried, and the scherzo well paced. There is a certain loss of impetus at one point: Barshai lingers over the fourth bar of the wind melody of the trio (beginning fig. 36; track 2, 2'46'') and the subsequent corresponding passages, which I do not like, but this is a trivial point. Generally speaking, this is a performance that would give pleasure on the radio but is a little studio-bound in feeling and does not have the high voltage one might expect to encounter in a concert hall.
The same goes for the Classical Symphony: it is well groomed, sensitively played, but ultimately in need of a little more abandon and sparkle. Dutoit (Decca) and Previn (Philips) remain the first choices in this coupling.'