Written in the summer of 1877, this is on the surface a sunny, serene work. Prokofiev's Piano Concertos best recordings | Classical Music Neeme Jrvi's Prokofiev symphony cycle, set down in 1984 & 1985, were a high bar set alongside a terrific Shostakovich cycle. Three generations of Prokofievs have recorded the work: Lina Prokofiev, the composer's widow, was the first, in 1986, and a remarkably feisty and engaging reading she gives too, with a voice that belies a lady then in her 89th year (she died in London aged 91 in 1989). Slatkin is nearly as good, though his strings do not sound as full as Ashkenazys; Gergiev is also terrific, but let down a bit by the dry and congested Barbican recording; and Inkinen is not quite at the same level of execution and with tempos not as steady. Rgine Crespin at her idiosyncratic, seductive best, Reichs response to the tragic human cost of war is authoritatively performed, An equally moving response, the Smith players recording is paired with another minimalist classic, A conceptual exercise that created a work of surprising musical beauty using mobile ringtones, Alfred Cortot pf Paris Conservatoire Orch / Charles Munch, Delicate poetry and an astonishing conclusion, Salonens celebration of architecture and nature incorporating Frank Gehrys voice, Salzburg Camerata; Salzburg Mozarteum Orch / Sandor Vgh, Kleibers laser-like concentration brought to bear on Schuberts Eighth, Showing why Mravinsky is one of the greats, An archive alternative to the famous DG recording, Furtwngler pushes forwards with excitement but also with an awareness of the works architecture, Orrea Pernel, Jacob Krachmalnick vns Karen Tuttle va Pablo Casals, Madeleine Foley vcs, Clifford Curzon pf Members of the Vienna Octet, Excellent balance between strings and piano, super-sensitive playing from Gilels, An individual reading from Hephzibah Menuhin, A splendidly clear yet atmospheric recording, A fascinating document of a live Britten recording, Two pianists reveal the musics innermost secrets, A legendary partnership is profoundly satisfying, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau bar Jrg Demus pf, Fischer-Dieskaus third recording of Winterreise, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau bar Gerald Moore pf, A powerful portrayal from the great baritone, Gottfried Hornik narr VPO / Claudio Abbado, Abbado harnesses the visceral impact of this work, A winning combination of scholarship and insight, Szells typically classical approach produces a full, natural orchestral sound, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau bar Christoph Eschenbach pf, Fischer-Dieskaus experience shows in every bar, Bostridge interprets all these songs as much through the mind of the poet as the composer, Fischer-Dieskau is the master of this repertoire, Sofronitsky was so associated with these works, he was even married to Scriabins daughter, The Sixteen shed light on a neglected genius, Mravinsky premiered six Shostakovich symphonies and that frisson is conveyed here, Sanderling highlights Shostakovichs dark intent, David Oistrakh vn Philadelphia Orch / Eugene Ormandy, NYPO / Dimitri Mitropoulos, Another intense Oistrakh Shostakovich No 1, The Borodins no-nonsense, uninhibited approach suits this diverse work perfectly, Daviss second Sibelius cycle yielded this utterly convincing and natural recording, Kleiber picked his operas carefully and this is a flamboyant treat, One of Karajans signature, and most refulgent, BPO recordings, Elizabeth Schwarzkopf sop Berlin Rad SO / George Szell, For some, this recording will never be surpassed, Gundula Janowitz sop BPO / Herbert von Karajan, Strong competition for the Schwarzkopf classic, Sols incl Gwyneth Jones; Bavarian Staatsoper Orch / Carlos Kleiber, An iconic Rosenkavalier from Carlos Kleiber, Sols incl Rgine Crespin; VPO / Georg Solti, Solti knew Strauss and stamps his authority here, Lively, stylish and individual, Ansermets Stravinsky was always an event, Unbelievably intense power comes from Rattles attention to the tiniest details, Precision and seismic power from Boulez and the Cleveland Orchestra, Gergiev makes you listen anew and finds elemental fury, This album enshrines perhaps the finest Spem in alium on record, Superbly gripping Tchaikovsky from Markevitch and his London forces, Slavonically intense, sometimes at breakneck speeds these are old favourites, The Vienna strings are exceptional for Gergievs full-bodied Pathtique, Emil Gilels pf State Academic SO / Evgeny Svetlanov, A star pairing to reinvigorate a great warhorse, Discover a brilliant but often-overlooked cellist, A marvellously consistent recording of this tricky but volcanic opera, Impressive performances of an Estonian composer, No one conjured the terror of the heavens in this work like Toscanini, Sols incl Elisabeth Schwarzkopf; Philharmonic Orch / Carlo Maria Giulini, A profoundly spiritual reading from Giulini, Sols incl Jos Carreras, Mirella Freni; BPO / Herbert von Karajan, The four-act version, with Karajan on fire, Pavarotti enjoys himself in Ponnelles sumptuous film, but Ingvar Wixell is a blistering Rigoletto, Sols incl Ileana Cotrubas, Plcido Domingo; Bavarian St Op / Carlos Kleiber, Textual cuts are the only blot on a moving Traviata, A benchmark recording of the Victoria Requiem from Peter Phillipss Tallis Scholars, Enrico Onofri vn Il Giardino Armonico / Paolo Grazzi, Joseph Silverstein vn Boston SO / Seiji Ozawa, One of the finest versions of this perennial work, Sols incl Domingo, Fischer-Dieskau, Deutsche Oper Orch / Eugen Jochum, Fischer-Dieskau is humane and moving as Hans Sachs, Staatsakapelle Dresden / Herbert von Karajan, Karajan coaxes glorious sounds from his players, Sols incl Peter Hoffmann, Dunja Vejzovic, Kurt Moll; BPO / Herbert von Karajan, One of the great archive finds of recent years, A spectacular and dramatic interpretation, all Ring-lovers will want this in their collections, Sols incl Birgit Nilsson; Bayreuth Fest Orch / Karl Bhm, Nilsson in incandescent form, live at Bayreuth, Sleek conducting underpins a seductive Tristan, Jascha Heifetz vn LSO / Sir John Barbirolli, Wieniawski-champion Heifetz presents an ardent case, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf sop Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau bar Gerald Moore pf, Features both singers at the peaks of their career, Committed performances from Tamayos Luxembourg forces, Ysae playing his own recordings a real collectors item, A penetrating look into the heart of this composer, Sols; Holland Symphonia / Bernhard Kontarsky, A lovely collection celebrating the brilliant Heifetz protg, beautifully recorded, The great cellist meets Bobby McFerrin in this fabulously unique album, Hard-to-categorise improvisations by the German pianist, The unique Maria Callas caught at her most histrionically impressive, Purcell Consort of Voices / Grayston Burgess, An uplifting example of the Consort at their best, A rich anthology presented with soul-stirring animation, Superb New Years Day concerts from Vienna under Carlos Kleiber, Ancient chant meets jazz-style improvisation in this remarkable disc, A wonderfully compiled and performed medieval music survey, Wit and imaginative richness from the inter-war years. Prokofiev: Symphonies - Classics Today Free shipping for many products! If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription toGramophoneplease click herefor further information. This closely mirrored the processes of debate and interaction used in human communication, and it struck a chord deep in audiences. The third movement is a slow and deeply felt meditation. He could not have known that he would be returning to the purges of Stalins terror. I pose the question because so often lay listeners assume that performers and critics hear music in the same way, and very often they dont. Prokofiev: Symphonies Nos. 1, 5, 6 & 7; Autumnal; Overture on Hebrew Themes All Ralph Moore The improved sound of this issue makes this certainly one of the better accounts of this still misunderstood masterpiece. Prokofiev finished the symphony in September, and the premiere was scheduled for November 4. by Katherine Cooper. For Ashkenazy my comparisons were the National Symphony of Washington/Slatkin (RCA), London Symphony/Gergiev (Philips), and Inkinen. Here Rozhdestvensky captures Op. ', London Symphony Orchestra / Andr Previn(Warner), 'It is marvellous ballet musicby a virtuoso orchestra and conductor and, frankly, you won't go wrong with this version', Mstislav Rostropovichvc / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Malcolm Sargent (Warner), 'This account of the Sinfonia concertante, coming from the heat of the concert hall, is absolutely electrifying, its high voltage matched by strong expressive character..', Mstislav Rostropovich pno/ Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Sir Malcolm Sargent (Naxos), 'Piano Concerto No. But where a performer incorporates those experiences into an interpretation, we have to write about them, though there are plenty of verbally eloquent musicians around Alfred Brendel, for example. Rozhdestvensky gives the Seventh some edginess and grit, and because this is a mostly serene and lyrical symphony, some listeners may regard his approach as a bit over-the-top. Vladimir Ashkenazys perceptive interpretations and the superb playing of the Cleveland Orchestra move these recordings to the top echelon of the competition for the two symphonies. David Barker Prokofiev: The Complete Symphonies - amazon.com 47 version of the Fourth is better than the Op. 7 (Prokofiev) 25 (1916-17) 7. 1999-2022 ClassicsToday.com. strangely mechanistic figures repeatedly cut off the main theme. Aftera violent outburst,a high, delicate version ofthe opening lyrical melody returns. 'Piano Concerto No. What really marks this work out is the brilliant way in which Tchaikovsky manipulates the emotional argument and brings a new, frightening dimension to symphonic thinking, the unifying factor a sequence of descending scales that mirrors the Symphonys long-term narrative of a descent into the abyss. 5 The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz 22.8K subscribers 13K views 2 years ago Why is this symphony so difficult to do well? 7 in C sharp minor, Op. Read more about Tchaikovsky and his work here, Recommended recording: Leningrad Philharmonic/Evgeny Mravinsky DG 477 5911, With his First Symphony, Brahms proves himself a worthy successor to Beethoven. A splendid version of this great work! See more Best classical music. Showing 1 - 8 of 8 results. The program also features Prokofievs Symphony No. This list may not reflect recent changes . In-hall and livestream tickets are still available for this weekends performance of Mendelssohns Scottish Symphony, featuring Prokofievs Symphony No. Prokofiev Syms Kosler SUPRAPHON SU 4093-2 [NB]: Classical Music Reviews - October 2012 MusicWeb-International Founder: Len Mullenger Editor in Chief: John Quinn Some items to consider Current reviews pre-2023 reviews paid for advertisements All Forgotten Records Reviews TROUBADISC All Troubadisc reviews FOGHORN Classics Brahms String Quartets Andrew Litton on Prokofiev | Presto Music Thats one of the bonuses of talking to artists who are eager to share their responses to great recordings: you suddenly understand so much more about how their minds work, musically speaking, because by imagining those performances in your minds ear, youre communing on a level beyond the reach of words. Classical Net Review - Prokofieff - Complete Symphonies But my true friends will see that the style of my symphony is precisely Mozartian classicism and will value it accordingly, while the public will no doubt just be content to hear happy and uncomplicated music which it will, of course, applaud. On that account he was exactly right; with its impish sense of humor, impeccable craftsmanship and charming melodies, the symphony was a breath of fresh air, and it has remained one of the composers most popular works. At first, Prokofiev was not overly troubled by the outbreak of the Russian Revolution in February 1917; he even indulged in some revolutionary sightseeing during its early days, venturing out of his Petrograd apartment to observe the protests while avoiding the bullets as best he could. Perhaps more listening will change my assessment. As a Prokofiev interpreter Neeme Jrvi is among the best. 1. Offering what the audience for classical music has long been waiting for: comprehensive review coverage of new recordings thats both accurate and completely up-to-date. In general Rozhdestvensky employs brisk tempos throughout the set and makes no attempt to sugarcoat the harsher elements in Prokofiev's often acerbic scoring. Absolute Ensemble; Lower Austria Tonknstler Orch / Kristjan Jrvi, A thrilling account of Bernsteins rediscovered Mass, Fascinating rhythm in two iconic American scores, Sols incl Marilyn Horne; Met Op, New York / Leonard Bernstein, Carmen, Bernstein-style: swaggering, charismatic, Harnoncourts Brahms is idiomatic, though theres plenty of fascinating musical exploration, The legendary Russian maestro does Brahms, Power and elegance go hand in hand with Giulinis Brahms, with the VPO on terrific form, Incandescent, elemental playing from the Berliners under Furtwngler, The great partnership of the Vienna Phil and Giulini caught at its finest, For many the Haydn Variations are the jewel here, richly characterised, superbly varied, Julius Katchen pf LSO / Pierre Monteux; Jnos Ferencsik, Awesome virtuosity and highly sensitive playing, Soloist and conductor at their peaks, an old favourite, Old-school conductor meets brilliant young soloist, David Oistrakh vn Cleveland Orch / George Szell, The king of violinists on scintillating form, Wolfgang Schneiderhan vn Jnos Starker vc Berlin RSO / Ferenc Fricsay, Rubinstein the veteran joins the young Guarneris, Heifetz as ever is technically brilliant but wonderfully songful here, too, Revelations pour over each other from one of the great Brahmsians of our day, Charlotte Margiono sop Rodney Gilfry bar Monteverdi Choir; ORR / John Eliot Gardiner, Elizabeth Schwarzkopf sop Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau bar Philh Chorus; Philh Orch / Otto Klemperer, Juggernaut power in Klemperers famous recording, The third quartet here was written for these players, and they play superbly, Sols incl Jon Vickers; Royal Opera / Colin Davis, Britten hated Vickerss Grimes, thousands loved it, Highly charged, romantically intense Bruckner, Jochums Eighth is his weak point but Karajans radiates warmth and splendour, Vivid performances of this rarely heard masterwork, Amazing playing and bold insights go hand in hand with Pletnev, Scintillating expressiveness in a recording that is part of gramophone history, Theres mystery as well as clarity in Boulezs La mer recordings, Theres a compelling intensity of character to these dazzling performances, De los Angeles caught in Debussy and Faur, Pellas meets Wagners Tristan in this controversial (to some, overheated) reading, Tortelier commands the demands of Dutilleux, By turns explosive and searchingly lyrical, Kertszs is the classic Dvok set, Neumanns rival to Kertsz features terrific playing, Georgeously lyrical and integrated playing from the Beaux Arts Trio, Restless, probing interpretations in the composers knowing hands, Essential for Elgarians, two inspired performances, Monteuxs famous Enigma with LSO forces still feels fresh and revealing, Sols incl Janet Baker; Hall Orch / John Barbirolli, Janet Baker is magnificent in this moving Gerontius, A starry reclamation for Enescus epic opera, Theatricality abounds in this Spanish journey, Faurs choral works reimagined for boys choir and organ, Intimate music-making from du Pr and Barenboim, A spectacular, heartfelt Vietnam memorial from Copland pupil Elliott Goldenthal, Leon Fleisher pf Cleveland Orch / George Szell, For many, the finest accounts of these works, Alert, alive and light-footed, Manze and the players clearly have a ball, Rich-toned recordings from the Musikverein, A fine example of the music of French electronic-school composer Pierre Henry, Sols incl Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau; Munich RO / Kurt Eichhorn, Brilliant playing in a set often unfairly overlooked, Sols incl Lucia Popp; VPO / Charles Mackerras, Mackerras is incomparable in this repertoire, A Sei Voci explore Josquin for the Nave label, Barry Tuckwell hn London Sinf / Oliver Knussen, Bewitching music from composer Oliver Knussen, Kodly was a great Jnos Starker admirer and the cellist here shows why, Korngolds film score turned into a tone-poem and evocatively conducted by John Mauceri, A fine display of intense, mesmeric contemplation, Hans-Peter Blochwitz ten Budapest Fest Orch / Ivn Fischer, Brilliantly alert, with a touch of Satanic wit, Beauty, power, excitement and lyrical singing, Brendel brings dignity and tension to Liszt, Bernstein in earth-shaking form with the Israel Phil, Kubelk, one of the first and among the finest Mahler advocates, Bernstein again, this time with the polish of the New York Philharmonic, Judith Raskin sop Cleveland Orch / George Szell, Deep feeling in one of Szells finest hours, A Bernstein pupil in dramatic vein and great sound, Bernstein had to persuade the Austrians to love Mahler, with fabulous results, Kubelk in the studio is great, live hes even better, A deserving Gramophone Record of the Year, Violent intensity and sweetness in Rattles Vienna Mahler Ninth, Passion and commitment in Rattles overpowering championing of Mahlers Tenth Symphony, Janet Baker mez Hall Orch / John Barbirolli, Includes the classic Rckert-Lieder recording, Mlkkis showcase for the young French composer, Messiaens own favourite recording of this work, Music of devotion and playing of simply stunning virtuosity, Sols incl Jos van Dam; Hall Orch / Kent Nagano, Messiaens only opera and his magnum opus, Ennio Morricones seminal music from the 1986 Jeremy Irons film, English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner, Dramatic accounts of the last two symphonies, Impassioned advocacy of these popular concertos, Geza Anda, Clara Haskil pfs Philh Orch / Alceo Galliera, Dennis Brain hn Philh Orch / Herbert von Karajan, Flawless solo playing in the classic recording, Two great pianists, one great sonata captured at Snape Maltings, Sols incl Stephan Schreckenberger; Le Concert des Nations / Jordi Savall, Savalls intimate reading of Mozarts final work, Sols incl Elizabeth Schwarzkopf; Philh Orch / Karl Bhm, Bhms finest Mozart opera set, with a dream cast, Sols incl Rodney Gilfry; English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner, An energetic interpretation, as compelling as any, Sols incl Joan Sutherland; Philh Orch / Carlo Maria Giulini, Giulinis Giovanni grand and theatrical, Sols incl Anne Sofie Von Otter; English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner, Sols incl Werner Hollweg; Zrich Op / Nikolaus Harnoncourt, The 1781 version played for dramatic intensity, Sols incl Bryn Terfel; English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner, Sols incl Simon Keenlyside; Concerto Kln / Ren Jacobs, Jacobss conducting is sparkling and mischievous, Sols incl Kiri te Kanawa; LPO / Georg Solti, A starry cast bristles with theatricality, Soltis best-loved Mozart recording, a Zauberflte to crown his career, USSR State SO, Russian Federation SO / Evgeny Svetlanov, Svetlanov rescued these symphonies from neglect, The bright young things genre-defying collection of miniatures, As unique as they are unpredictable, these studies are revelatory ear-openers, Every detail can be heard with razor-sharp clarity on this supreme disc, Estonian Philh Chbr Choir; Estonian Nat SO / Tnu Kaljuste, Exhilaration, piety and lamentation mingle, A powerful testament to the expression of faith, The blazing live performances that won Gergiev his job at the helm of the LSO, Martha Argerich pf Montreal SO / Charles Dutoit, Argerichs response is utterly personal and vivacious, Sviatoslav Richter pf Warsaw PO / Witold Rowicki, Sizzling account of a difficult-to-pin-down concerto, An exciting live recording from Amsterdam, featuring a young Anna Netrebko, Sols incl Luciano Pavarotti; BPO / Herbert von Karajan, A grand Bohme, with Pavarotti and Mirella Freni, Sols incl Maria Callas; La Scala, Milan / Victor de Sabata, One of the greatest achievements on record, A fine recording, immaculately delivered, and boasting some exceptional soloists, Sols incl Sarah Connolly; OAE / Elizabeth Kenny, Steven Devine, Connollys exquisitely sung Dido leads a great cast, Glorious playing and wonderful, expansive conducting from a true podium master, Zoltan Kocsis pf San Francisco SO / Edo de Waart, Fast, light, incisive Kocsis is on top form, Phenomenal virtuosity from Kissin with Ozawa, The first virtuoso pianist-composer of the recording era: these discs remain fascinating, Robert Shaw Festival Singers / Robert Shaw, Shaw coaxes great warmth from his singers, A great Baroque conductor meets a great composer, A compelling work that beautifully captures the Finnish composers evocative sound world, Samson Franois pf Paris Conservatoire Orch / Andr Cluytens, Franois plays with tremendous vitality and spirit.