Prokofiev: The 5 Piano Concertos/Overture on Hebrew Themes/Visions Fugitives

Sergey Prokofiev (Composer), Kurt Masur (Conductor), Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig (Orchestra), Michel Béroff (Performer), Michel Portal (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Michel Béroff, Michel Portal
• Orchestra: Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig
• Conductor: Kurt Masur
• Composer: Sergey Prokofiev
• Audio CD (September 29, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000002S09
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #119,853 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome and terrifying, September 20, 2002

By 

PARTHO ROY "bibliophile" (Tampa, Florida USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prokofiev: The 5 Piano Concertos/Overture on Hebrew Themes/Visions Fugitives (Audio CD)

This CD is another example of good price, comprehensiveness, and outstanding quality combining to make a powerhouse recording. I cannot overstate how dazzling Beroff's performance is. To hear pianistic technique at its pinnacle, just listen to the cadenza of the Second Concerto's opening movement--it'll take your breath away (you'll swear that it cannot be played by just a single player--examining the score will compound the disbelief). Beroff's swift hammering, mastery of dynamics, and perfect grasp of both Prokofiev's wit and rage, will have you coming back to this CD set for years. Concerto No. 3, by the way, is the best performance I've heard besides that given by Martha Argerich. With expert performance by Maestro Masur and the Gewandhaus Orchestra, these five neoclassical works have rarely received such musical justice. The second CD also features Prokofiev's delightful ethnographic chamber piece, "Overture on Hebrew Themes," as well as his solo piano work, "Fugitive Visions" (not quite as notable as, say, his late sonatas). I consider this CD set one of the best in my collection, and I recommend it without any reservations.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sheesh, November 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Prokofiev: The 5 Piano Concertos/Overture on Hebrew Themes/Visions Fugitives (Audio CD)

I'm reading the reviews here because I just adore this recording and wonder why it's so rarely the recommended choice in CD guides, etc... Maybe there are individual moments in other recordings that surpass individual moments here, but as a whole I don't think any of the other sets are nearly as effective.

But anyway - the review below really annoyed me so I just wanted to weigh in: Beroff's is a really lovely rendition of the Visions Fugitives, and the "ppp" in question (that prompted my fellow reviewer to impress us all with his lordly inability to tolerate philistinism by hurling his CDs into the trash like the filth they are) - ahem - the "ppp" in question applies WITHOUT ANY DOUBT only to the inner voice - I don't know what edition Mr. Landkamer has, but the two that I just looked at both make special effort to place the "ppp" on the page in a way that communicates this. It also bears mentioning that this "ppp" does not appear in the first edition at all.

In conclusion: this set is an amazing deal and, regardless of what people say about Ashkenazy or Argerich or Richter or whomever else, is utterly satisfying. It's one of the few recordings of Prokofiev I've heard where the performance is GENUINELY CONVINCED of the idea that this music is utterly coherent and human. Even supposedly "sensitive" Prokofiev performances often underestimate the fluidity of his musical expression and decide to let things seem thorny and chaotic rather than doing the work necessary to clarify the enigmatic elements. Beroff and Masur are so in tune with the spirit of Prokofiev's screwball jokes and whimsically meandering emotions that you feel you're hearing the piece direct from the composer. Very rare thing, that. There are no more and no fewer fireworks in these performances than Prokofiev put in the score - which is plenty! - and I don't know about you but that's how I like my classical recordings.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely gorgeous music, impeccable performances., August 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Prokofiev: The 5 Piano Concertos/Overture on Hebrew Themes/Visions Fugitives (Audio CD)

Although I am not musically trained, I listen to classical music almost exclusively. I have hundreds of CDs and am to the point where I am confident that I know what is good and not so good. I've never written an online review before because of all the performances I own, I often get this creeping suspicion that there might be a better version out there somewhere. What's more, I'd rather satisfy my fickle preferences without outside (e.g. other reviews) influence, minus, of course, public radio and concerts I attend. I don't believe this sort of attitude is uncommon in the world of classical music, but I could be wrong. Anyhow, I know who most of the best ensembles, conductors, and soloists are and I often stick with them for both new and old recordings. This CD, however, is so insanely great that I just have to break my traditional silence and speak up. Michel Beroff, Kurt Masur, and everyone in the Gewandhaus-Orchester Liepzig (who I've seen live...they're so good that when the entire string section plays it sounds like one instrument...think about it ;-) must have been so proud to produce something of such spine-tingling power and delicate beauty. The orchestral melodies--which Prokofiev employed quite generously--are as moving as anything by Tchaikovsky and the sounds that eminate from Mr. Beroff's piano are some of the most precious I've ever heard. If Prokofiev were alive today, he'd surely be impressed. I used to think Prokofiev's music sounded too, er, *complicated* (not unlike Stravinsky) but Mr. Beroff changed that perception: he convinced me that the details are unimportant, that the overall conversation is what's so enthrawling and engaging, and what sweeps you away is the complex emotion that Prokofiev captured on the written page, forever. If you purchase this CD, I am completely confident that you will never bother searching for another recording of Prokofiev's Piano Concertos. It's that good. Indeed, it is one of my favorite CDs, one of those rare gems that sounds as fresh and exciting after the 100th listening as the first.