Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
Herbert von Karajan's late, digital recordings almost never rise to the heights of his great performances of the '60s and '70s, and this one is no exception. Indifferently played, recorded in glaring digital sound, and at full price less of a deal than the conductor's earlier version with the Berlin Philharmonic, this recording simply makes no claims on your classical music dollars. This sort of useless duplication of repertoire is both confusing for the consumer and a narcissistic self-indulgence on the part of the conductor.--David Hurwitz