Prokofiev Op.100

[snyprrr]

Yes you can    I have thirteen op.100s that range from Szell to Kitajenko (next to Levi the slowest in the first movement). I enjoy them all. But you ask for a single recommendation, and that recommendation from me is Szell despite it's seemingly extreme speeds (which, I think, do not sound extreme within Szell's overall conception of the work). But maybe a MOR version would be better for you if you only want one.

I don't agree. I think the symphony can take a wide range of tempi and sound good in any of them.

Sarge

First Listen to Ozawa's 5th.

Haha, you gotta love that plucked harp followed by the cymbal- such DG glorious excess of recording- oh! and the piano at @2:00. Already, from the first notes, Ozawa is making sense of this piece for me, whereas Dutoit's opening made me not quite understand the underlying rhythmic pulse: Ozawa underlines the "b-buuum" of the whole thing, whereas Dutoit taffy stretches it ever so little, but seems to pull it out of shape.

Ozawa may not be as emphatic in the "Messiaen theme" (the first appearence of the faster note values, @4:00), but, generally, Ozawa and the DG engineers emphasize the Technicolor Thief of Baghdad aspects to the motion (balletic)- you certainly are IN THE MIDDLE of the action here, haha!! woah now!! haha- I'm sure Ashkenazy's Decca perspective will be a little more 'realistic', but hey, could you pass the pate?!!

The Allegro marcato seems standard- it actually sounds a little quicker than its 8:50 would suggest (Szell is 7:39). I don't feel any broadness, but there is a nice DG fatness I like, and the percussion is just,about,there.- just nice enough in the mix (am I hearing this thing panned out like Mike Oldfield??).

The Adagio is one of the quicker ones, and one certainly can't deny that an 11 minute performance isn't going to leave a different impression than a 15 minute one. Here actually I'm starting to feel slightly robbed of the gravitas by this quicker tempo (Dutoit is closer to 14, I think, and I thought his could have been either slower or faster). I'm just.not.feeling.Adagio.here.- it's more like 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' instead of 'Apparition of Lovecraft'. Sure, there is a certain power, and the piano actually makes sense at this tempo- the recording is like hospital drugs!! But, if it is to be this fast, something else is missing; otherwise, it should be slower, to milk every last atom out of it. Still, it's compelling- I'd like to hear some critical thought about Ozawa's Adagio here? How do you justify it? Should it be slower?

Ozawa returns with a jolly swagger in the finale. Not too fast- kinda swing- me likey. he seems to bring out the bluff good humor of the opening paragraphs perfectly- though I'd like to know what you think about his 'insistence' at @3:40 (which I also heard in the Adagio). Frankly, the Berliners' playing is enough to classtaculate over! I do like the swagger here, very suggestive of broad shouldered Russia. Perhaps there IS a sense that SOMEONE is being mad fun of- and that someone would have to be a big, broad shouldered man- a 'State' of a man? Wait?? What?? Is it ME he's making fun of? (it hits Stalin) the mocking... someone bring me the Music Minister!!

Yes, I wouldn't want this finale to be more aggressive, or violent. I like Ozawa's approach- and you still get the overwhelming sense that at some point in the premiere, someone muuust have gotten it, and doom was spelled- what note was it that sealed Prokofiev's fate??

The the coda is handled beautifully here by Ozawa and the Berliners, not to mention the space-age recording techniques!! 0:) It sure makes it sound like the end of a sci-fi movie- Awesome!! The tick-tock bit is just chilling.

So, Ozawa takes Dutoit 3 out of 4, with Dutoit having the singular good sense to at least milk the Adagio a tiny bit (still only making one want more). Ashkenazy will soon come to take on Ozawa the Contender. He may eventually fall to someone of similar spirits who simply has a more... 'natural'  ... recording perspective- though, this 'Futureworld' recording is pretty stunning and it may take on all comers.

[not edward]

I'm not sure I understand the ending to No.5. All of a sudden the sarcastic raspberries begin, and this Minimalist/Futurist machine music starts, Industrial,... and then,... pffft, done??? Huh?

I've always assumed the point was to pull the rug out from under the listener. Suddenly the whole narrative of the symphony is called into question.

The original ending of the 7th does much the same, though with greater subtlety.

[snyprrr]

I've always assumed the point was to pull the rug out from under the listener. Suddenly the whole narrative of the symphony is called into question.

The original ending of the 7th does much the same, though with greater subtlety.

And the 6th too, except that one is absolutely cataclysmic- but there one can definitely tell that someone in authority is being mocked, before the devastation occurs. If 6 is really a send up of 5?...which is a send up of... which is a...  is a...

[snyprrr]

Ashkenazy's Prokofiev Symphonies set is one of the best things he's done.  If Levine is to be smote, Ashkenazy is at least an acceptable foe.

Wow, this 1985 Concertgebouw/Decca recording is like the lost Haitink 5th!

i guess!!

Yea, Ashkenazy keeps the tension throughout: this is a dark, passionate yet stately cinematic ode to the forces shaping mens' lives. I keep hearing Korea in the music of 5-6, or Vietnam, or just some movie like that, haha! Anyhow-

The First Movement is rendered with vital tension. Perhaps my calculations were off. Maybe the formula is

                                                      tempo / tension = the key to awesome

Whatever the difference between Ozawa and Dutoit, when both are faced with Ashkenazy's vision, they seem not as involved, perhaps? The entrance of the quick motif @4mins is here underlined  much better than in either Ozawa's or Dutoit's performance. Ashkenazy underlines each note individually in such a way as to render tempo obsolete.

The Allegro marcato is given a unique feel here. Generally, everyone so far does something different, and cool, here; but, Ashkenazy is able to bring out the humor by playing things faux-reserved- and I'm going to give him points for this daring do.

Currently in a very taut Adagio which does bring out the creepy factor. Ozawa was pretty quick here, at 11:13, and Dutoit was in-between slow and fas at 12:00t. Here i think Ashkenazy pulls off the 'faster' version beautifully (the NOT milking it, haha). Notice how Ashkenazy, at 11:54, is right at Dutoit's timing, but, Ashkenazy's tension makes up for the apparent awkwardness of Dutoit's choices.

Ashkenazy takes the 'fast' ending, though he manages to retain some of the swagger present in Ozawa's reading. Hold on, we're almost at the end now... shh... ah yes, well tha was thrilling! Ashkenazy captures the closing minutes' raucous cacophony with a vivid technicolour flourish- the ending percussion is beautifully caught; and this is not to say that Ozawa's ending wasn't pretty spectacular (but the recording is part of that), but the Concertgebouw's timapani really get some nice whacks in.

So, Dutoit is uncompetitive, and for all of Ozawa's wonder at the podium, it is the profanely babylonian DG recording that is the star of that show. Ashkenazy's Decca perspective is more realistic without sacrificing vicious impact, in fact, Ashkenazy deals with more testosterone than Ozawa, period (though, Ozawa's finale is superb). Ashkenazy sort of takes it, with Ozawa in the running. Neeext!!

Muti?

MTT?

[snyprrr]

Muti?

OH YEEEA!!

A really incredible Philips Experience on this one folks-

Like GS said above Muti's performance is extremely well recorded: it's up close and personal, with much warmth. And I also agree it's very worthwhile hearing the music as it's darting around from section to section in such detail - like glow-in-the-dark body paint in motion.

yeeea! It just got louder and Louder and LOUDER!! Wow, now that's what I'm talkin' about with Philips and why I'll try music I don't necessarily go for with a Philips.

Frankly, that Ashkenazy/Concertgebouw is just as good- different sound profile (just two top companies' different techniques that both work equally well). Muti's engineers, though, have delivered a DANGEROUS! recording- watch out! (it's not Telarc 'kill your speaker with bass drum', but it's a really powerful recording, whew- pow.wow.wer.ful)

I recommend both as a pair, and both are cheep cheep. wow! (the brass....nyyyyyaaaahhhhh )


btw- the very ending- I give the ashkenazy just a fraction more on clarity- the muti here is just a fraction wilder, bristling, ashk. more cinematic. Both take the 1st mvmt precisely the same to similar effect.