Prokofiev's Paddy Wagon

[greg]

Glad you like it, Karl. I'm not sure I can understand the flow of it, even though the CD booklet gives a short explanation.

[karlhenning]

You know, that's one aspect I like about it.  It has, on the one hand, the feel of a kind of pastoral tone-poem;  on the other, formally it's a tight knot that doesn't unravel easily.  It's something of a gentle (and smaller-scale) cousin to the Second Symphony, might almost say.

[karlhenning]

Has anyone heard Olli Mustonen in the Visions fugitives?

[vandermolen]

Attended great concert last night - Prokofiev Symphony No 3 with Shostakovich Violin Concerto No 1, Scriabin's Reverie and Mussorgsky Night on Bare Mountain. LPO Jurowski, London Proms concert - great to hear Prokofiev's Symphony No 3 live it is one of my favourites.

[karlhenning]

Who was the soloist, Jeffrey?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Has anyone heard Olli Mustonen in the Visions fugitives?

Karl, I don't know Mustonen's Prokofiev but I have a disc of him playing Stravinsky works for piano and orchestra (w/ Ashkenazy conducting) and enjoy it immensely (plenty of spunk). Hazarding a guess I'd say his Prokofiev is likely cut from the same mold and would be worth checking out...

I also have another disc of Mustonen in Russian repertoire, although this time in more standard fare: Pictures at an Exhibition, Tchaikovsky, and Balakirev's Islamey. Another winner I'd say though admittedly a far cry from Prokofiev. But still, the Russians seem to spark good things in him...

BTW, Mustonen has also recorded some Hindemith. Both solo (haven't heard) and accompanied w/ orchestra (marvelous).

[karlhenning]

. . . BTW, Mustonen has also recorded some Hindemith. Both solo (haven't heard) and accompanied w/ orchestra (marvelous).

That's how I came to learn of his recording of the Visions figitives, which I see on the same disc as Ludus tonalis.

[vandermolen]

Who was the soloist, Jeffrey?

Julia Fischer Karl - she got such an ovation that she had to play an encore.

[karlhenning]

Julia Fischer Karl - she got such an ovation that she had to play an encore.

Very nice!

[Herman]

Has anyone heard Olli Mustonen in the Visions fugitives?

I have that cd. It's good, though I may like the Demidenko better (coupled with Scriabin).

These things may change over time, of course (which makes these discussions so comical), but I think Mustonen is more grotesque and staccato, whereas Demidenko is more Schumannesque.

I also have a recording with an string-orchestral version which never fails to give me the creepz.

[karlhenning]

Thanks, Herman! I remember you mentioning that string orchestra version earlier . . . is that version at large?

[Herman]

Thanks, Herman! I remember you mentioning that string orchestra version earlier . . . is that version at large?

There's a recording of the string orchestra version (arr Barshai) coupled with Stravinsky's Appolo and Symphony in D, with the Moscow Soloists playing. But the original version for piano is much better. It's just too bad Sv Richter never palyed a full set.

[Mirror Image]

I haven't heard much Prokofiev but he is definitely one to explore. He has a bit Elgarian qualities in his music. I guess his symphonies are good.

Prokofiev shares no affinity with Elgar whatsoever. You said it right when you said you haven't heard much Prokofiev, because you certainly haven't to have made such an insane assertion as Prokofiev shares qualites with Elgar. I don't think so.

Elgar's music sounds like old lady's music compared to Prokofiev's. Does this mean that I don't like Elgar? Absolutely not, but you simply can't compare apples and oranges.

[Hattoff]

To be fair, they are two of the best melodists of the 20th century.

[eyeresist]

I'd say Prok and Elgar have some similarities in their slow mournful melodies, and their predilection for the brass.

I'm back after a break, and have a lot more Prokofiev in my collection. Real breakthroughs include the October Cantata (cond. Titov), and Ivan the Terrible (Gergiev). Amazing recordings of amazing pieces, still unknown to most classical fans. The Titov CD also includes Hail to Stalin and Flourish Mighty Homeland (don't be confused by the eroneous order of the listing on the back of the case).

This is the kind of stuff to recommend to "metalheads" who need some culture

[Scarpia]

More headway in the Prokofiev symphony cycle from Jarvi.  Listening in chronological order,  to the 6th, then the revised version of the 4th.

The 6th was generally a rewarding experience.  Unlike the 3rd and 4th, the 6th was conceived as a symphony from the beginning and although it is not in strict classical form, I can sense the "symphonic logic" of its construction.  Perhaps not as immediately appealing as the 5th, which had amazingly beautiful themes, but satisfying music.

The revised 4th was more positive for me than the shorter original version.  Maybe the fact that I am more familiar with the music has something to do with it, but the revised version made a much bigger impression on me.  The original version gave the impression of a suite from a Ballet (basically what it is) but the revised version seems more thoroughly worked out.  The orchestration also seems to have been made a bit more rich.   The first two movements gave the most pleasure, particularly the big climax based on the "redemption" theme that occurs towards the end of the second movement.  The third and forth movements sound a lot like Mahler to me, with all of the faux-rustic country dance themes, and so forth. 

The recording and performance still strike me as less than ideal.  The recorded sound, which is very generous with reverberation and reflected sound, blooms nicely during the grand tutti passages, but sounds too distant for my taste during the lighter orchestral textures.

[karlhenning]

Interesting, Scarps. Carry on.

[Herman]

Whew! I've found my Nice book.

Are we just giving up any hope for Volume II?

I think you'd better. I recently talked to someone in the business and he said
1) Nice wishes to pronounced as Niece (stop snickering!) and
2) there will be no vol 2

However the index shows that most important music is pretty much dealt with in vol 1

[karlhenning]

Thanks, Herman!

1) Nice wishes to pronounced as Niece

What, has he moved to France? ; )

[Scarpia]

Recently finished my journey through Jarvi's recordings of the Prokofiev symphonies with No. 7.  Like a long, exhausting vacation, it was it was interesting but perhaps a relief that it is over.  The 7th symphony was not a high point for me.  After the proper symphonic construction of the 5th and 6th, the 7th sounds more like a "divertimento" to me.  The first movement, for some reason, made me feel that I was listening to the musical score of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (the original).  The concluding movements did not make much of an impression after a few listenings.  But perhaps Jarvi and his orchestra are part of the problem for me, since they tend to impress me a lot more in the grand tutti's than in the delicate chamber-music textures.

In any case, next time through I will listen to a different cycles (Ozawa, Kitajenko and Gergiev are on the shelf, as well as some interesting individual recordings by Karajan, Chailly, Martinon, and others).