Prokofiev's Paddy Wagon

[Mandryka]

Le fief de Prokofiev
Prokofiev's coughin'
The First Church of Sergei Prokofiev

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Prokofiev's Pitter-Patter

[Mirror Image]

Wouldn't a change in the name of this thread have to be done by the OP or can a moderator actually change the title since the OP is no longer posting here?

[North Star]

Prokofiev's Prickles
The Prokofiev Progression
Prokofiev's Pageant
Prokofiev's Proselytizers
Sergey Sergeyevich's Sarcasms

[lescamil]

It's sad that the discussion of the name of this thread has supplanted actual musical dialogue.

So no one listened to this year's Prom with all 5 piano concertos, eh?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

It's sad that the discussion of the name of this thread has supplanted actual musical dialogue.

Not sad 'round these parts. Got me to smiling...

So no one listened to this year's Prom with all 5 piano concertos, eh?

Not me. But I love the piano concertos. The concerto for left hand is one of those works whose quality far exceeds its popularity. Not sure why that is. Is there some stigma to one-hand-only concertos? Not that we're overflowing with them.

[Hattoff]

So no one listened to this year's Prom with all 5 piano concertos, eh?

I listened to the concert and agree with what you say, the 2nd, a great piece of music, was very poorly performed and the 3rd wasn't much better. But the 4th was good and the 5th was absolutely excellent, the best performance of it I have heard and it conveyed Prokofiev's inventiveness quite stunningly.   The 5th is relatively complex and will never be popular which is a pity, the slow movement is a heart wrenching, shivers down the spine feast of brilliance.

[lescamil]

I got through the rest of it today and I was only left thinking why Volodin wasn't given two concertos to play over Babayan and Trifonov, both of whom have overstayed their welcome in the public eye, in my opinion, especially Trifonov, who is still unjustly riding the coattails off of his Tchaikovsky competition win.
I love the 4th and 5th concertos. Volodin did a supreme job with it, and Babayan at least offered some redemption for a poorly played 2nd, my favorite of the lot. In his defense, I would argue that the 2nd is the hardest to perform in concert.

[Karl Henning]

It's sad that the discussion of the name of this thread has supplanted actual musical dialogue.

So no one listened to this year's Prom with all 5 piano concertos, eh?

No; Gergiev, yes?  I like always to think of Gergiev at his best.  The one time I heard him here in Boston, one of the pf concerti was on the program, and it was sub-par.

[Cato]

Note: it is easy to change the title of a topic!   0:)

Is there general agreement that Sviatoslav Richter's recordings are the standard for I and V?  I always think of him first in connection to the concertos, although a search shows that he did not record all 5, and never played the Third Piano Concerto at all.  (According to the same source, he also never played the last two concertos of Rachmaninov.)

[Mirror Image]

Note: it is easy to change the title of a topic!   0:)

Is there general agreement that Sviatoslav Richter's recordings are the standard for I and V?  I always think of him first in connection to the concertos, although a search shows that he did not record all 5, and never played the Third Piano Concerto at all.  (According to the same source, he also never played the last two concertos of Rachmaninov.)

Yes, but it doesn't change it permanently. Only when someone replies to this message will it carry out this title, but it's still under the guise of the original thread title.

[Cato]

Yes, but it doesn't change it permanently. Only when someone replies to this message will it carry out this title, but it's still under the guise of the original thread title.

True, but we are halfway there!

Any thoughts on Richter and the concertos?

[lescamil]

I have never been a big Richter fan. He always seems a tad cold. I personally like the Chandos set with Järvi, the RCO, and Gutierrez (2-3) and Berman (1,4,5) as my standard of excellence. I can't imagine a better complete set than this one.

[Karl Henning]

I have never been a big Richter fan. He always seems a tad cold. I personally like the Chandos set with Järvi, the RCO, and Gutierrez (2-3) and Berman (1,4,5) as my standard of excellence. I can't imagine a better complete set than this one.

That is certainly an excellent set, and easily among the better of Järvi's slew of recordings which they rushed up for the centenary 

I do think I like Béroff/Masur even better;  and Krainev/Kitayenko just as well

[Hattoff]

I heard Jean Efflam Bavouzet play the 2nd on the BBC and thought it very good. He has brought out a complete set recently which has garnered good reviews. Has anyone here heard it? I'm thinking of buying it for the 4th and 5th which need some fresher performances than those mentioned above.
Babayan with Gergiev has recorded the 5th, due out early next year; probably get that as well.

[Karl Henning]

Any thoughts on Richter and the concertos?

Richter was my introduction to the Fifth Concerto, a performance which impressed me, without making me love the piece.  The Krainev/Kitayenko set illumined the piece for me;  and I have since revisited Richter (perhaps the recording reissued in the Icon box is the same I had heard, back when?)

[Pat B]

(perhaps the recording reissued in the Icon box is the same I had heard, back when?)

If you want my idle speculation, I'd say you were more likely back when to hear his DG recording with Rowicki.

[Karl Henning]

If you want my idle speculation, I'd say you were more likely back when to hear his DG recording with Rowicki.

You're perfectly right.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Any thoughts on Richter and the concertos?

Richter's DG 5th is marvelous. And wonderfully recorded even if it is very early stereo. It's very easy to see why Prokofiev rated him so highly - he obviously believes in every bar of the music. It's a sad twist of fate he didn't record all of the concertos...I'd love to hear him in the 2nd.

I also have his EMI 5th but need to spin it again before I comment.

I like his recording of the 1st too but the somewhat dim sound bothers me probably more than it should. I haven't heard it in years and don't own it anymore but perhaps a newly remastered release might make a difference.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I have never been a big Richter fan. He always seems a tad cold. I personally like the Chandos set with Järvi, the RCO, and Gutierrez (2-3) and Berman (1,4,5) as my standard of excellence. I can't imagine a better complete set than this one.

There are many fine sets and individual recordings of these wonderful works. My favorite cycles are El Bacha/Ono and Browning/Leinsdorf. The El Bacha has the advantage of being in stunning sound.

For the 3rd concerto, well, where to start? The ubiquitousness of it speaks to its popularity: Katchen/Kertesz, Argerich/Abbado, and Paik/Wit are very fine choices.