Symphony No. 5 / Lieutenant Kije Suite

Hybrid SACD - Playable on all compact disc players

The 13th Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Telarc recording with Music Director Paavo Järvi is an all-Prokofiev disc. The repertoire includes Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major and Lieutenant Kijé Suite. The disc showcases the two sides of Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 shows a dramatic and serious side, while the Lieutenant Kijé Suite represents a more playful approach.

"I have always wanted to record Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5," says Järvi. "I consider it one of the best symphonies of the 20th century. Symphony No. 5 is brilliant in its newness, language and construction. On the other hand, Lieutenant Kijé Suite shows the much lighter side of Prokofiev as he brings the character to life in a unique and almost comical way."

Both pieces read like an homage to Prokofiev's Mother Russia. While it has no program, Symphony No. 5 coincidentally became an expression of Russian pride, because at the time of its premiere, Russia's army was victorious over Germany. One of Prokofiev's most accessible pieces, Symphony No. 5 expresses optimism and a depth of direct emotion.

Lieutenant Kijé Suite, a cinema piece, was written for Alexander Feinzimmer's film based on a satirical story by Yuri Tinyanov and mirrors the mischievousness of the script about a make-believe military character.

Telarc's twelve discs with Paavo Järvi and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra have garnered critical acclaim. Their January 2007 release of Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony was praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer as "one of the best available outings with this great symphony." In May 2006, the CSO's Bartók and Lutoslawski Concertos for Orchestra debuted on the Billboard classical chart at number 9, and The New York Times said, "Mr. Järvi's interpretations are everywhere persuasive, and the performances almost uniformly virtuosic. Telarc's typically expansive sound is especially gratifying…"