Muti's approach to the Fifth is intelligently conceived, deliberate in tempo. Compared to Von Karajan, Koussevtisky or Rozhdeventsky, Muti's slow movements (the first and third) may seem downright sluggish. However, the payoffs are enormous -- he explores the depths of the music's rich melodies, illuminating with great detail Prokofiev's commentary on the human soul. Even more remarkable, the artistry of the Philadelphia Orchestra players surpasses that of the more highly regarded European orchestras across the pond (e.g. Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic.) Muti shapes every melodic line with great care. Gone are the sharp, shrill brass of the Russian orchestras or the blurred string passages of lesser conductors. The strings are rich and full, perfect for so Romantic a symphony. Yet Muti full well understands this is not Mendelssohn, and unlike Karajan, who dulls Prokofiev's sharp irony with a classicist's brush, Muti accentuates the ironic when needed. Consider the finale to the first movement -- Muti propels the music forward to a gripping conclusion, his entire orchestra at full volume, sustained by a marvellous percussion section (compare with Karajan's hapless percussionists, particularly the snare drum, in his famous recording.)     [Sugi Sorensen]