Los Angeles Philharmonic
London Symphony Orchestra
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Repertoire (all Prokofiev)
Symphony No. 5 In B Flat Major, Op. 10
Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25 ‘Classical Symphony’
Lieutenant Kije Symphonic Suite, Op. 60
Suite From The Love For Three Oranges, Op. 33a
Overture In B Flat Major, Op. 42 ‘American Overture’
Music From Cinderella, Op. 87
The main attraction here is Michael Tilson Thomas's 1991 account of the Fifth Symphony with the LSO. Of all the available versions, none matches it for idiomatic feeling, spot-on accuracy of playing, and sonic excellence. One is struck by the extraordinary detail in Thomas's reading of the piece--it's all there in the score, but for once, one actually hears it in performance. Even more impressive is the magnificence of the overall conception. The cinematic sweep of this music, and the powerful emotions it evokes, emerge unmistakably. Thomas also captures the lightness and acerbic wit that make the Classical Symphony so remarkable. The breadth of the programming on this 2-CD set, which includes the popular Lt. Kijé Suite as well as a suite drawn from Prokofiev's wartime ballet Cinderella, makes it a particularly worthwhile offering.Ted Libbey