If Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 can be characterized as a musical portrayal of a person resolutely going forward overcoming difficulties with unwavering faith, then Blomstedt and the orchestra play as though the symphony was written about them, making this a very personal performance. You are sure to be moved by this performance recorded in September 2011, just 6 months after the Great East Japan Earthquake and touted as one of NHKSO's finest performances. While affected areas were still recovering 10 years after this disaster, Japan, along with the world was faced with another horror in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. Find comfort in Blomstedt and NHKSO's musical message that is just as relevant today during these trying times as it was 10 years ago.

• Roger Norrington
• Miki Yamamoto
• Morihide Katayama