Prokofiev's Paddy Wagon

[rappy]

My favourites are (yet):

Symphony #7
Symphony #5
Symphony #1
PC #1
PC #3
Lt. Kije Suite
Piano sonata #6
Piano sonata #7
Romeo & Julia

[BachQ]

Prokofiev's 2nd is most famous for the cadenza in the first movement--at about 5-6 minutes, possibly the longest cadenza in any piano concerto (usually the pianist has to take a little break before the second movement). 

IIRC, doesn't the 1st movement have 2 cadenzas?

[jurajjak]

IIRC, doesn't the 1st movement have 2 cadenzas?

Well, yes, there is a shorter cadenza toward the beginning of the movement, which tends to get overshadowed.

Do you know the recording by Viktoria Postnikova and Gennadi Rozhdestvensky?  I was listening to it a couple of hours ago--it has the audial drawbacks of Soviet-era recording, but I've never heard the notes in the winds and brass so clearly, and the third movement is taken at a remarkably careful pace.  Many pianists rush through the 3rd movement, but here they generate a creeping tension and suspense I've not encountered in any other recording.

[mr_espansiva]

How about The Stone Flower - 2nd rate Prokofiev is better than so many composers best offerings:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CPO-PROKOFIEV-BALLET-THE-STONE-FLOWER_W0QQitemZ260160244775QQihZ016QQcategoryZ1049QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

[Danny]

Just heard about a piece called Seven, They Are Seven and am wondering if this is on disc or if anyone can give any recs that are?

Right now am re-listening to the Seventh Symphony, and especially enjoy the first movement (love the somber intro and the main theme I've always thought was among the most poignant of Prokofiev melodies).  I think this symphony sadly underrated...................

[Catison]

Just heard about a piece called Seven, They Are Seven and am wondering if this is on disc or if anyone can give any recs that are?

Nope, there is no recording.  Awhile back, Gergiev was supposed to have recorded it (when he was recording everything else Prokofiev composed), but that recording never surfaced.  I have an old boot leg of an LP.  If you are really interested, PM me.

[karlhenning]

Good morning, Danny, Brett!

Welcome, mr espansiva! I like The Tale of the Stone Flower very much indeed.

[Drasko]

Семеро их! (Seven, they are Seven) op.30
Yuri Yelnikov (Tenor) / Moscow Radio Chorus / Moscow RadioTV Symphony Orchestra / Gennadi Rozhdestvensky (1971)
17 MB @ 320 Kbps
http://rapidshare.com/files/53816627/Semero_Ih__Sept__ils_sont_sept___op_30__1917-18_.mp3

Here is the original poem, if anyone is interested (though I think cantata is an adaptation)

Семеро их!

Семеро их! Семеро их!
В глубине Океана семеро их!
В высотах Небесных семеро их!
В горах Заката рождаются, семеро.
В горах Востока вырастают, семеро.
Заставляют свой голос греметь на высотах Земли они.
Раскинулись станом в пространствах Небес и Земли они,
В сокрытых вертепах.
Семеро их! Семеро их!
Они не мужчины, не женщины.
Как ветер бродячий они.
Как сети, они простираются, тянутся.
Нет у них жен, не родят они сына.
Как кони они, что внезапно возникли меж гор.
Злые, из пропасти Эа.
Благоговенья не знают они, благотворенья не знают
Молитв не услышат, нет слуха у них к мольбам.
На больших проезжих дорогах
Препоной встают, ложатся на путь.
Злые они, злые они.
Семеро их! Семеро их!
Дважды семеро их!
Дух Небес, ты закляни их!
Дух Земли, ты закляни их!
Злые Ветры! Злые Бури! Палящие Ветры они.
Вихрь, за которым приносится смерч.
Реющий вестник, за вестником Смерч.
Могучие чада, предвестники Мора.
За ними идет Нинкгал.
Проломный они потоп.
Семь богов широкой Земли.
Семь разбойных богов с Небес.
Семь властных богов.
Семь злобных богов.
Семь веющих дьяволов.
Семь дьяволов злых утеснения.
Семь в Небе, семь на Земле.
Злой дьявол, злой дух, злой Алал, злой Гигим,
злой Тэлал, злой бог, злой Маским.
Дух Неба, ты закляни их!
Дух Земли, ты закляни их!
Закляни их!

К.Д.Бальмонт. Светлый час. Стихотворения./ Москва,1992.- с.422.

[Danny]

Thank You, Drasko! 

[Hattoff]

Yes, many thanks. 

[techniquest]

That Rozhdestvensky Seven They Are Seven is by far the best of the 3 performances I have heard (his plus 2 live Gergievs). Incidently, the Gergiev performance with the London Symphony Orchestra was shown on BBC4 TV last Friday as part of a short series of concerts showcasing Gergiev conducting Prokofiev / Debussy / Stravinsky at a series of concerts earlier this year. Next episode is on tomorrow (Friday 14th) at 7.30pm, with final the next Friday (21st) at the same time. One of those broadcasts should have the Scythian Suite which Gergiev interprets with a really intense and very slow ending, holding the last chord far longer than even Celebidache!

[greg]

thanks, Drasko, i've been wanting to hear that one for a while now.....

[techniquest]

Tonights' Gergiev concert on BBC4 TV which has just started includes Prokofievs' Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution, a real rarity.
As I write they are performing Stravinsky's 'Les Noces' (Orff for music intellectuals! It is so much like Trionfo di Aphrodite..)

[karlhenning]

Tonights' Gergiev concert on BBC4 TV which has just started includes Prokofievs' Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution, a real rarity.

Great accordion licks 

[not edward]

Tonights' Gergiev concert on BBC4 TV which has just started includes Prokofievs' Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution, a real rarity.

And a really underrated work: sure, it's uneven, but where else can you find a top rank composer giving of his best in a piece like this?

I've heard a Gergiev performance (I assume probably the same one as this) and it's instructive to compare it to Jarvi's studio recording. I found Gergiev's reading much more attuned to the brutality in the work--Jarvi's performance is much more straightforwardly heroic in nature, while Gergiev I found rather disturbing. (I've not heard Kondrashin's version--understandably cut, shorn of the Stalin's Vow and Stalin's Constitution movements--but I imagine what there is of it would probe deeper than Jarvi's admittedly exhilarating reading.)

[techniquest]

As a performance, I felt that the second half worked far better than the first half - in fact the introduction was really quite poor. To be fair, I think the BBC had mis-mic'ed (or had a mic problem) - much of the string sound was very thin and distant and the woodwind really seemed to be struggling. Incidently I get so frustrated by the BBC camera director! Just as during The Proms, the director insists on close-ups of 2 or 3 players from a section (usually brass) and seems to have a thing against percussion - so much going on during that 'Revolution' movement and not a bass drum, tam-tam or bell to be seen. And where was the siren?
Anyhow, certainly enjoyable and a real treat to see such an underated piece on our TV screens. In comparison to other performances, the Kondrashin is still the up-front winner despite being the censored version and having ropey Russian recording values; but I've always liked the way that 'Philosophy' is reprised at the end. The Jarvi (on Chandos) is superbly recorded, terrifyingly dramatic and well worth seeking out. The only other recording I know of is the Mark Elder live performance from some years ago and available as a give-away with BBC Music magazine. It occasionally turns up on ebay, but it's most definitely the poorest.
Incidently, this piece is a treasure trove of film composer James Horner themes and riffs! You'll hear stuff from Red Dawn, Land Before Time, Willow...

[TheJoe]

The only other recording I know of is the Mark Elder live performance from some years ago and available as a give-away with BBC Music magazine. It occasionally turns up on ebay, but it's most definitely the poorest.

Hmm, may I ask why you think the Elder recording is the poorest?

I have that recording as well as the Neeme Järvi one and I've always strongly favored the Elder one.  Therefore, it's been such a long time since I last listened to the Järvi recording that I may have forgotten why I didn't initially like it.  I think I found the tempos and sound effects much more convincing in the Elder recording. 

I'll go back and listen to the Järvi again now.

[techniquest]

TheJoe - how odd. It's the lack of powerful sound and general run-of-the-mill interpretation that steers me away from the Elder recording. It has no 'bite' whatsoever.
By the way, has anyone heard the Titov recording with the New Philharmonia on Beaux Authentics?

[TheJoe]

TheJoe - how odd. It's the lack of powerful sound and general run-of-the-mill interpretation that steers me away from the Elder recording. It has no 'bite' whatsoever.
By the way, has anyone heard the Titov recording with the New Philharmonia on Beaux Authentics?

I'm almost through the Neeme Järvi recording right now and I think the main reason I was turned off by it originally was the Revolution movement.  Järvi's tempos generally feel sluggish to me compared with Elder's, and the "machine gun" sound effects (in my opinion) sound pretty pathetic compared to the violent booming gunfire in the Elder recording.

Of course, the sound quality is much better and more powerful than Elder's live performance, which sounds like it could have been a bootlegged recording.

[techniquest]

Of course, the sound quality is much better and more powerful than Elder's live performance, which sounds like it could have been a bootlegged recording.

Yes, that's exactly right. If you want to hear a really manic, powerful and completely OTT 'Revolution' movement, you must try to source the Kondrashin - it positively gallops. I'm not sure if it's ever been released on CD, but occasionally the vinyl LP turns up on ebay.