Symphony No.5, Piano Concerto No.3 : Gergiev / Kirov Opera Orchestra, Matsuev(P)(Hybrid)

This release from the Mariinsky label features two of Prokofiev's most popular works, the Piano Concerto No. 3 and the Symphony No. 5. Denis Matsuev is the soloist in the concerto, in his fourth recording for the label. Since winning the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1998, Matsuev has established a reputation as one of Russia's leading pianists. Written at the height of World War II, Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 is a patriotic work - big, heroic and ultimately optimistic. Prokofiev wrote five piano concertos, but it is his third that has gained the most popularity and critical acclaim. The clarity and vitality that appealed to the work's original audiences have stood the test of time.