Customer Reviews

Prokofiev: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 5; Lieutenant Kijé Suite

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

 

 

The first thing to note about this recording is the excellence of the remastered sound. It is wide ranging, full bodied, beautifully balanced, and rich with excellent detail. All this would count for nothing if the performances weren't wonderful, which they are. Temirkanov exploits the wonderful virtuosity of his orchestra in readings full of color and detail. The Classical Symphony receives a very witty, almost off the cuff, fleet reading. Lt. Kije is perhaps the most controversial performance of the three. I liked it very much. There are some tempos that would seem slow in the hands of a lesser orchestra. In particular, the brass are full of verve and almost chamber like delicacy. As for the 5th Symphony, it is a strong, powerful statement (You've never heard the timpani banging away in the 1st movement like this.). I don't know that this is a better performance than the Rostropovich and Leinsdorf versions I like so much, but it certainly shakes the cobwebs out of the piece. Temirkanov, to put it simply, is one of our best conductors, and this CD is a beautiful reflection of his art.

I strongly recommend this recording to anybody who loves Prokofiev music. The "Classical Symphony" sparkles with wit, humour, and intelligence while the Fifth symphony, in contrast, is life itself. It has everything, beauty, ugliness, warmth, harshness, love, irony, and even a cold-blooded feeling. Mr. Temirkanov and the St.Petersburg Philharmonic perform these pieces as if they were the creator of the music. Everything has its meaning. They simply understand what the music is about and they are to make you believe it.

Temirkanov strikes me as Russia's greatest living conductor along with Valery Gergiev, as borne out by this riveting account of Prokofiev's two most popular symphonies. Most striking is his approach to the Fifth. In place of sardonic wit, we get slashing, savage passages that feel wildly intense. but as a previous reviewer notes, ther's a vast range of expression, from ecstatic bombast to almost chamber-like delicacy. Adding ot the visceral impact, RCA's sonics are heavily weighted toward the bass end, so that timpani and double basses sometimes boom out almost louder than the rest of the orchestra. The snare drum parts jump out of the speakers like artillery.

These emphases heighten an alter, exciting performance that I would rate as high as my old favorites, Bernstein form New YOrk (Sony) and Karajan with the Berliners (DG). The remainder of the CD, including an excellent Classical Sym. but a run-of-the-mill Lt. Kije Suite, doesn't approach a similar level of abandon.

At first glance this looks like a amazing value for money as you get two of Prokofiev's most well-known (and performed) symphonies, as well a Lieutenant Kije. And don't get me wrong the performances are good. However, I would say that while the performance of the 5th is really enjoyable (which I won't talk about since the other reviewers cover it), the performance of the 1st isn't all does leave a little to be desired.

The woodwinds in some of the sections in the first movement of the 1st symphony is a little hard to hear and kind of detracts from the whimsical atmosphere. The piece is taken at a tempo that is more pleasant than some other firsts I've heard (like Gunzenhauser) and overall the performance is quite good and charming. However I do prefer Abbado's account of the 1st a lot more.

In short, get this for the 5th, not the 1st. It's still worth it.

This is a great collection. The orchestra sounds fantastic, and Temirkanov is particularly well suited to the Prokofiev style. There is nothing superficial about these performances. I've heard most of the available recordings of these pieces, and I recommend this one, which has an aura of authenticity.