Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5, Op. 47 - Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op. 11 (Live)

“…Manfred Honeck seems intent on wringing every last drop of drama from the symphony in this live recording. He seizes upon the first movement’s stark juxtapositions. Rhythms in the jagged opening phrases are razor-sharp and urgently dispatched … then the pace eases as the mood becomes more lyrical. … On paper, following this with Barber’s Adagio for Strings might appear anticlimactic but on disc it’s convincing. Barber’s idiosyncratic nod to Tudor polyphony – Honeck writes that he transferred vocal-style phrasing from the composer’s choral version – serves as a elegiac yet soothing benediction.”

“I’ve never heard the duet between the flute and horn at the return of the first movement’s beautiful lyrical theme sound so uplifting. … The sound quality of this ‘live’ Reference recording is superb and brimming with potent energy. Some of the soft passages conjure up a mysterious effect whilst the moments with heavy military percussion and brass make you want to run for cover. … Highly recommended!” 

“…it’s impossible not to be impressed by the quality of the orchestral playing and the immersive depth and dynamic range of the recording.”

“This is the sort of performance you want to press into the hands of someone who’s never heard the piece. It’s marvellous, in so many ways, Honeck steering a near-ideal course between hysteria and sobriety.… Spectacular rasping horns kick off the movement’s development, brass and wind playing with a paint-stripping ferocity that suggests a vintage Soviet orchestra. And the pale, bleached sonorities in the coda – this is luxury playing. …Fans of this work shouldn’t hesitate. And, if you don’t know it well, start here.”