Prokofiev PC

Any other 'classic' recordings besides Ashkenazy/Previn?

Which PC? Prokofiev wrote five. One can only assume you are referring to the over-recorded No.3. Ashkenazy never ever got the measure of this piece. Poor old Andy Previn is my answer, and he should have played it himself. He wouldn't have been worse. Other than that my vote goes to Janis for the 3rd. I am not partial to Argerich at all.

Richter/Rowicki is unbeatable for the 5th PC.

Regards,

# http://www.users.bigpond.com/hallraylily/index.html See You Tamara (Ozzy Osbourne)

Ray, Taree, NSW

Ashkenazy not classic.

I'm with Ray on this - Janis is my most played 3, and of course Richter/Rowicki (not Maazel) in 5. Richter as good as any in 1. Hard to say for 2 - I have Browning on LP. I also don't like Argerich. Prokofiev leads them all home in 3 (and in all his piano music) but it's an old recording. Janis is not the last word in poetry but the electricity and quality of the recording make it something special - particularly the Mercury LP which is thrilling on a good

Leaving aside the question of whether Ashkenazy/Previn is classic:

1 - 5 Browning / Leinsdorf (LP)

1 Richter, Gavrilov

2 Ardasev

3 Kapell, Argerich

4 Vedernikov (LP)

5 Richter

No.

Paul Goldstein

A truly classic cycle. Too bad there's no 'official' CD issue, though the 'unofficial' one is quite good. ;

The Browning-Leinsdorf complete set of Prokofiev PC's has recently been released by John Wilson in his Idlewild Reissues series. For

Mustonen better. Prokofiev old mannered.

Ardasev not as good as Lupu, Toradze, Ugorsky.

I like them particularly in 1. For 3 I like Browning/Leinsdorf/EMI, which was briefly reissued on CD in the early 90s, but that may be first recording effect (I had this on LP; the flipside had an equally magical Ravel Left Hand Concerto).

Dave Cook