The New York Times review of their Carnegie Hall debut noted that the members of BPYO "play with a maturity and cohesion well beyond their years," and described their performance of Shostakovich’s Fifth as "a brilliantly played, fervently felt account, enriched with silken strings, robust brass and eloquent solos."

This recording perfectly demonstrates why Zander is renowned for coaxing professional-quality work from amateurs and for wringing fresh insights from even the most familiar works. Zander is committed to delivering an authentic performance and takes particular care to stay true to the original tempo markings, which are often ignored even in notable recordings. Following Shostakovich’s directions Zander changes the finale from being a joyful celebration into a scream of pain, a crying out against a relentless and inhuman force.

This recording includes a talk by the conductor on the work.