Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93 (Karajan Gold Edition)

Herbert von Karajan undoubtedly wished to be remembered as this century's great German conductor. He recorded the complete Beethoven symphonies four times, Brahms twice, Bruckner almost twice. But in truth, he was better at other things, and when he worked outside his standard repertory he usually did his best work--like here, for instance. Von Karajan actually recorded this symphony once before, a good performance. But when he returned to it for a digital retread, he simply let himself go and played the pants off the piece. This performance reveals his stature as an interpreter far more clearly than any number of Beethoven cycles, and fans of the composer should add it to their collections without delay. --David Hurwitz