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Leonard Bernstein's ferocious 1959 recording of Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony has been justly hailed as a classic, but Bernard Haitink's more sober account should not be overlooked. Haitink patiently builds each climax, respecting the symphony's structural clarity while forging an interpretation of true cumulative power. Amsterdam's Concertgebouw Orchestra plays superbly, particularly in the dark recesses of the slow movement. For this mid-priced reissue, Decca has added in Haitink's sharply pointed performance with the London Philharmonic of the composer's Ninth Symphony. Andrew Farach-Colton, Barnes & Noble