The Symphony No. 5, which came about over a very short time period some twelve years after beginning his career, today one of Tchaikovsky’s most popular works. As early as the world première in St. Petersburg it was already a great public success. More feeling, more emotion and more drama could hardly be converted into symphonic music; however a superior compositional technique and a ongoingly consummate command of structure keeps the work from ever slipping into superficial mawkishness. No question about it: Mariss Jansons has just the right pinch of “Russian soul” to bring out this work in to full power: the recording in October 2009 reveal the conductor in perfect unity with his orchestra, a combination capable of bringing ecstasy and control into perfect balance here.