Problematical
David Saemann | 01/09/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I like Dimitri Kitaenko very much. He was one of the conductors on Sheffield Labs's "The Moscow Sessions" project back in the 1980's. The recordings on this CD date from that time, and therein lies the problem. What seems to be an exciting, well played version of the symphony is hampered by a late analog recording that is extremely multi-miked. Strings sound almost as if in another room from the up close winds, and the dynamic range isn't that great. The Rock was recorded two years earlier, and here the recorded sound is natural. It's a splendid performance, ideally captured. My favorite recording of the symphony is Leonard Slatkin's on an Excelsior CD from Sam Goody's. I believe it's currently available on Vox, in a different remastering. I wouldn't dissuade anyone interested in Kitaenko from trying his recording, but you have to put up with a lot to enjoy it."