Title: Mediocre At Best
Product review: Paavo Jarvi's reading of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" is too soft-edged and not vicious enough. This performance makes me think of Michael Tilson Thomas, because it's just way too easy-going and doesn't have enough bite. That said there are obviously better recordings than this one: Seiji Ozawa/BSO on RCA, Bernstein/NYPO on Sony, Levi/ASO on Telarc, and Stravinsky's own reading on Sony.The reading of Nielsen's 5th is also pretty weak. Jarvi fails to capture the Nordic essence of the symphony. Herbert Blomstedt's reading on Decca is, in my opinion, the benchmark. Jarvi fails to bring the kind of excitement this symphony needs to make it convincing.All of this said, the audio quality is excellent and the playing from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is excellent, but these two factors cannot save this recording from the dismal conducting of Jarvi. Buy at your own risk.
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