What are you listening 2 now?

[VonStupp]

Sergei Prokofiev
Piano Concerto 4 in B-flat Major, op. 53
Piano Concerto 5 in G Major, op. 55
Michel Béroff, piano
Gewandhaus - Kurt Masur (1974)

I have never warmed to Prok's 4th PC. Are there any favorites out there? I have listened to a few, but haven't taken to it yet. Béroff's lyrical nature is an interesting one though, especially in these later concertos, where pianists generally approach Prokofiev like Bartók.

In the 4th, especially Krainev/Kitayenko in the Moscow recording (rather than the later Frankfurt). It's usually my favourite of the 5 concertos, together with no.2.

Thanks, I will see if I can track down that Melodiya recording. I have almost given up on his 4th at this point.

[MusicTurner]

I don't think the Moscow recording is on you-tube. The Frankfurt set is generally very different from that. But here's an ok appetizer from the 4th in that later set - the short Finale.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8_i-A6hgy4

[Symphonic Addict]

Ahmed Saygun
Symphony 1
CPO

What an attractive, compelling adagio. The cello backdrop to the meandering oboe seems to me almost an orchestral 'breathing' after the colour of the first movement and before the folk dance (?) that follows. I found this really engaging and look forward to the rest of the cycle.

The other day I listened to his 4th Symphony and I thought it was impressive and brooding. I didn't have his music in high esteem before, but now I changed my mind about it. His concertos also contain magnificent music. His orchestration is especially remarkable and the way he conjures up mysterious atmospheres.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Thanks, I will see if I can track down that Melodiya recording. I have almost given up on his 4th at this point.

+1 for Krainev/Kitayenko with the Moscow. You may want to try several spellings for Kitayenko, or even Cyrillic spell.

[Mirror Image]

Sergei Prokofiev
Overture on Jewish Themes, op. 34
Visions fugitives, op. 22
Michel Béroff, piano (rec. 1974 & 1981)
Perrenin Quartet

What quirky fun Prokofiev's Overture is; very different from the concertos. Béroff makes Visions fugitives sound like a brother to Debussy's Preludes, and none the worse for it either. Wonderful!

The weakest link here is Masur, IMHO. I just have never enjoyed his plodding performances, however, I think Béroff is a wonderful pianist.

[VonStupp]

The weakest link here is Masur, IMHO. I just have never enjoyed his plodding performances, however, I think Béroff is a wonderful pianist.

I won't disagree, and that seems to be the case mostly with Prok's 3rd and 5th. I am careful with Masur recordings, he can be bland and heavy, but the sound he built at the Gewandhaus is sometimes too hard for me to pass up, here let down by the EMI sound. Prokofiev seems outside of Masur's or the Gewandhaus' normal repertoire, and sometimes that unfamiliarity can goose performances. For me, I guess it is Beroff's way with this music, and the 1st and 2nd really did it for me here, as well as Visions fugitives.

[Mirror Image]

I won't disagree, and that seems to be the case mostly with Prok's 3rd and 5th. I am careful with Masur recordings, he can be bland and heavy, but the sound he built at the Gewandhaus is sometimes too hard for me to pass up, here let down by the EMI sound. Prokofiev seems outside of Masur's or the Gewandhaus' normal repertoire, and sometimes that unfamiliarity can goose performances. For me, I guess it is Beroff's way with this music, and the 1st and 2nd really did it for me here, as well as Visions fugitives.

'Bland and heavy' this might be leveled at many other conductors as well. I know many think this about Herr Karajan, but I've always loved what he brought to the musical table even in repertoire that I normally don't even listen to on a regular basis like Mendelssohn or Brahms for example.

[VonStupp]

'Bland and heavy' this might be leveled at many other conductors as well. I know many think this about Herr Karajan

You won't hear that from me. 

[Traverso]

Sweet! But I think you meant Haas and not Janáček right, Jan? I'll have to get those recordings (not that I need any amount of convincing to buy more Janáček SQ recordings).

You could be right( by chance... ) John but on the cover I see that the string quartets are played by the Pavel Haas quartet,   your mistake is not enough reason to commit hara kiri I hope ?

[Mirror Image]

You could be right( by chance... ) John but on the cover I see that the string quartets are played by the Pavel Haas quartet,   your mistake is not enough reason to commit hara kiri I hope ?

Put that sword down!

[Traverso]

Put that sword down!

Your right,it would be to drastic,by the way,it is a nice recording as Symphonic Addict  has confirmed already 

[Mirror Image]

Your right,it would be to drastic,by the way,it is a nice recording as Symphonic Addict  has confirmed already 

[Roasted Swan]

Since the coworkers are still out, I'm cranking out more loud music for my own enjoyment! This time, from Brazil:



Guarnieri's first concerto is a super fun folksy piece that would fit on a pops concert.

Also: Harry, if you leave, I'll have to come find you and drag you back!!

+1 for the Guarnieri!  Its a piece I've thought for years would be perfect at the BBC Proms.  Guarnieri (and most other Latin American composers) are woefully under-represented at "The World's Greatest Music Festival" and this ticks all the boxes from novelty to accessibility and some in between

[Mirror Image]

Turning up the heat...

NP:

Falla
El amor brujo
Nati Mistral, soprano
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos

[Mirror Image]

+1 for the Guarnieri!  Its a piece I've thought for years would be perfect at the BBC Proms.  Guarnieri (and most other Latin American composers) are woefully under-represented at "The World's Greatest Music Festival" and this ticks all the boxes from novelty to accessibility and some in between

I'd venture even further by saying that Latin American composers are under-represented by all the classical labels, too. I'm still waiting for better, more driven performance of Castillo's Paál Kabá for example.

[Karl Henning]

Karl, what Beatles' songs do you like? Me, She Said She Said and Hey Bulldog. 

"Dr Robert" and "Old Brown Shoe"

[Karl Henning]

Sergei Prokofiev
Piano Concerto 1 in D Major, op. 10
Piano Concerto 2 in g minor, op. 16
Piano Concerto 3 in C Major, op. 26
Michel Béroff, piano
Gewandhaus - Kurt Masur (1974)



I always liked Béroff's way with Prokofiev, particularly these early concertos. The EMI sound was never superb, though.

Great set!

[Sergeant Rock]

Walton Facade, instrumental suite with original scoring




Sarge

[Brahmsian]

Turning up the heat...

NP:

Falla
El amor brujo
Nati Mistral, soprano
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos

Is he Bela Lugosi's understudy? 

[SonicMan46]

Giustini, Lodovico (1685-1743) - Piano Sonatas, Op. 1 w/ Paolo Zentilin on modern Fazioli pianos (F278 model) - Brilliant has now published two separate 3-disc sets of these works; the first in 2010 w/ Andrea Coen on a reproduction fortepiano by Kerstin Schwarz after B. Cristofori, 1726 (2nd pic below); and the second from 2018/19 w/ Paolo Zentilin on the modern pianos mentioned; reviews are attached.

Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1731) invented the mechanism of the modern piano.  Giustini (as described in the quote below) published the first 'piano' sonatas in 1732 specifically to demonstrate the dynamics and nuances of the instrument although not until mid-18th century were other composers writing 'fortepiano' sonatas.  These 12 sonatas are in 4 or 5 movements, most w/ 'dance movement' designations like in Baroque suites; however Zentilin beautifully performs these works on a modern piano; Jed Distler's review ends w/ 'an irresistible release'.  This one is a keeper for me - I did own the Coen set but culled it from my collection, probably was not enthralled w/ the fortepiano copy and/or performances, cannot remember.  Dave

Giustini's main fame rests on his work 12 Sonate da cimbalo di piano e forte detto volgarmente di martelletti, Op.1, published in Florence in 1732, which is the earliest music in any genre written specifically for the piano. These pieces, which are sonate da chiesa, with alternating fast and slow sections (four or five movements per sonata), predate all other music specifically written for the piano by about 30 years. Giustini used all the expressive capabilities of the instrument, such as wide dynamic contrast: expressive possibilities which were not available on other keyboard instruments of the time. Harmonically the pieces are transitional between late Baroque and early Classical period practice, and include innovations such as augmented sixth chords and modulations to remote keys. (Source)