Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I agree with other reviewers this is a very good recording, of very difficult works. But it is especially good for the orchestral part. I am not saying Beroff is not a good pianist dont get me wrong. I am just saying there is better.
For the piano (and those are PIANO concertos my friends :) I have to say that I like the Ashkenazy/Previn recording better especially for #2 and #3 The piano sounds much clearer and less hesitating. The opening of 4th movement of #2 for example is 100 times better as played by Ashkenazy. Those chords are so much more precisely dropped. The orchestra though in many passages is more overwhelming (as it should be in this piece) in the Beroff/Masur recording.
If you want the complete set. Get both this recording and the Ashkenazy/Previn. They complement one another really well.
Now if you want the best recording of #3. You want to get the Argerich/Abbado recording. It ROCKS its is way above any other. Better rythmic precision , better phrasing, faster tempo. It is just amazing.

Berof's performance of the 2nd Prokofiev piano concerto is one of the absolute most emotional performances I've ever heard. Amazingly, he isn't bogged down by the impossible notes--he sings the melodies, he listens to the harmonies, he fills the movements with personality, and he wrenches my gut with his cries for life. Of all of the several recordings of the Prokofiev 2nd piano concerto and the hundreds of other classical CD's I own, this is my personal favorite recording. If you haven't heard this concerto perfomed by Mr. Beroff, you are missing out on some of life's most human sounds. It will be one of the most moving recordings you will ever hear.

I can't avoid saying it; this is a bucketful of really good music at a bargain price. Ignore the price, though, and it's still great music.

Beroff knows what he wants from the music and excutes his will with proficiency. His 2nd, like the other reviewers have stated, overflows with emotion and intensity. Beroff takes the opening movement at a brisk tempo, attacking the cadenza with ferocity, while the orchestra is precise and incisive when it needs to be, which is the key to the first movement. Where Ashkenazy and Previn simply fail to convey the shock of the massive orchestral ressurgence at the conclusion of the movement, Beroff and Masur succeed. The rest of the concerto has the same qualities; well played with appropriate orchestral emphasis in the largely piano dominated concerto. The fourth movement is a gem, with Beroff doing justice to its tender central theme and Masur providing an appropriately mercurial coda, slicing through the melancholic restfulness preceding the conclusion exactly on cue.

Beroff is without doubt the star of the show. Masur is more than capable, but occaisionally the orchestra seems tentative, especially in the 1st concerto and at the beginning of the 3rd. The 1st piano concerto still has all of necessary elements; ascerbic humour, virtuousity in spades, and Prokofiev's youthful audacity. This 3rd has become one of my favorite performances. The finale of the 3rd is articulated better by Beroff than in any other performance I've heard, including Argerich and Kapell, even if his overall interpretation is not as spontaneous or driven.

The rest of the material is very good, just not as interesting as the first three concertos. Prokofiev's last two concertos just don't have the appeal (to me at least) that his first three have. Thoughtful interpretations of the Visions Fugitives and Overture on Hebrew Themes round out the collection. Everything on these two disks is very well performed. A wonderful set in all.

I've come to know this outstanding pianist form his miraculous performance of Messiaen's Vingt Regards, and I immediately thought this pianist could play concertos too.

Prokofiev's 1st piano concerto has never been played with such intensity and penetrating tone since Richter's incandescent account with Ancerl, and Beroff's performance well surpass all other pianists including Gavrilov.

2nd is equally amazing. Interpretation-wise I still prefer Ashkenazy's broadly paced account with Previn (Beroff plays the opening much faster), but he excels in the cadenza played with frigheteningly intense force. I get an impression that he has much sharper sense of tonal shading and colour than Ashkenazy.

3rd concerto is undoubtedly the most outstanding one in this set. This performance matches William Kapell's legendary accounts with Stokowski & Doratti. The opening ascending arpeggios are not the fastest on record, yet it sounds more exciting as detail and complexity of the music is more vividly brought out. In slow sections, tonal intricacy of his playing is just breath taking.

4th & 5th are brilliantly played with lavishing tones and verve.

Another remarkable thing about these performances is the orchestra under Kurt Masur, which gives overwhelmingly powerful support and is well-balanced with the piano part.

Beroff's account of Visions fugitive is the most scintillating & mesmerizing I've ever known, played by non-Russian pianist. This 2CD set is a real bargain for such high standard performances.

I believe enough has been said about these performance. They are wonderful and deffenately my favourite Prokofiev Piano Conceri Recordings. Beroff is an intelligent and very passionate painist. The recording quality is outstanding for being analog. At his price this is a must have for Prokofiev lovers

Positively the BEST Prokofiev Second that I have heard!! He is fearless in his technical approach yet remains interesting musically. A must.

This is early Prokofiev and his originality is on display here. His piano concerto no. 2 on this CD is the one to listen to and own. Concerto no. 2 was written in 1912 and then the score was destroyed by fire and Prokofiev reconstructed it in 1923 virtually as a new work. It has four movements in an unusual sequence, the last three are rapid. Beroff is masterful in performance. I also really enjoyed the Overture on Hebrew Themes. This is a nice piece and is rare in that Prokofiev employs folk material. This is a two CD set and would be a welcome addition to any classic collection.