Few works stir up as much debate over their 'meaning' as Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony. And equally few works can boast an interpreter with such insight as Mstislav Rostropovich. His friendship with the composer gave him an almost unique understanding of Shostakovich's inner traumas, and as with the 2002's outstandingly successful LSO Live recording of the Symphony No 11, he inspired the LSO's players to the heights of virtuosity.

Cello – Mstislav Rostropovich
Conductor – Seiji Ozawa
Edited By [Montage Musical / Editing / Schnitt] – Françoise Garcin
Engineer [Ingénieur Du Son / Sound Engineer / Tonmeister (BBC Transcription Service)] – John Rushby-Smith
Liner Notes – Philippe Olivier
Liner Notes [English Translation] – Stuart Walters
Liner Notes [German Translation] – G. Trautmann
Orchestra – London Symphony Orchestra
Photography – X
Recording Supervisor [Direction Artistique De L'enregistrement / Aufnahmeleitung] – Michel Garcin
Enregistrement réalisé en / Recording / Aufnahme : 11/1987, Henry Hood Hall, Londres

Great Recordings Of The Century