Prokofiev recordings

There's an interesting feature in the NY Times today on recordings of Prokofiev's music: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/04/arts/music/ 04PROK.html?8hpib [registration required]

I like it when critics are willing to put themselves on the line and list their five favorite recordings of anything. Many of my favorite recordings are listed, but just as many are missing. One interesting development is the appearance of 'Betrothal in a Monastery' in more than one critic's top five.

Other reactions?

I saw this on another board and added my five favorites. Naturally if you asked again tomorrow the list might change. I was surprised to see just how much Gergiev was on all the lists. I really don't care for his heavy hand with Prokofiev. Here are mine:

*Piano Concertos 1+2 - Richter and Baloghova with Ancerl conducting. Comes with a ripping good 'Classical' symphony.

*Symphony 5 + Piano Concerto 3 - Szell conducting the Cleveland ORch with Graffman for the PC. Less visceral than some but razor sharp and incisive all around.

*Symphony 6 - Mravinsky and Leningrad on Praga. Still the best after all these years. He doesn't play down the manic nature of this music.

*Piano Concerto 5 + Piano Sonata 8 - Richter on DG Originals. What a CD! Does anyone make more sense of this PC than Richter?

*Romeo and Juliet excepts - Ancerl. Nobody finds the underlying pain of this music and holds onto it like a bulldog the way Ancerl does.

As you say, Alan, it is always good to see critics go out on a limb with their opinions of favourite recordings, in this instance Prokofiev.

The choices are not surprising, in fact. Lots of Gergiev operas. (they, like all the Kirov opera sets, have never covered their initial costs, so it is an open question as to whether Philips will continue). Richter is there, often. And Martha with her party piece, the Prokofiev 3; either version will do in fact.

But where oh where is Gilels Sonata No. 8?

Where is Weissenberg's Prokofiev 3?

Where is Jorge Bolet's Prokofiev Pico 2?

Where is Szigeti in Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1?

Where is Schipper's Prokofiev Symphony 5?

I could go on, of course, but I will stop here.

Historical performances are becoming very much a specialized thing among record collectors only, as these critics only highlight the known quantities. In a way I find it depressing.

Tom Deacon

Yes, the list of Mr. Eichler stands out as the only one to emphasize historicals. Aside from the many excellent recordings noted by Tom and Steve, I was surprised to see no mention of Prokofiev's own recording of the 3rd Piano Concerto. Tom rightly notes the absence of Szigeti's Violin Concerto #1; there also was a fellow named Heifetx who was pretty good in #2 (One of the critics recommends Stern in both. Oy!) Not one of a gaggle of NY critics thought to mention Mitropoulos' recording of Romeo & Juliet excerpts, the only one that can be mentioned in the same breath with Ancerl's, imo. A couple of other great favorites of mine that no one has mentioned are Milanova's Violin Concerti, Wilkomirska / Schein in the Violin Sonatas, and Malko's Symphonies 1 and 7.

I'm enbarrassed to say that I haven't heard Gergiev's Betrothal in a Monastery yet. Embarrassed because I love the opera, but frankly, I thought his Rimsky operas were so bad that I've avioded his Prokofiev until now. Do I really need Gergiev instead of / in addition to Abdoullaiev?

I happen to be very fond of that CD myself. What's wrong with it IYO?

Dave Cook

None of Koussevitzky's recordings, either, particularly his crystalline 'Classical' Symphony and the Violin Concerto #2 with Heifetz. It is as though the critics (most of them, anyway) felt that anything pre-digital wasn't worthwhile.

And heaven forbid any of them should even be familiar with (let alone actually mention) some great recordings which have never crossed the great divide from the vinyl universe to the aluminum one. For example, the two great American recordings of Symphony #6: Leinsdorf and Ormandy.

In their defense, the article does start by making it sound like they were trying to pick items that were more readily available.

A lot of Zimmermann's recordings are on offer at Berkshire right now, including his excellent 2-disc Prokofiev set.

Szigeti, Heifetz, Milanova, Oistrakh, Zimmermann, Shaham, Papavrami, Lin, Repin, Znaider, Kogan. That's much of the catalogue...no Chung?

Haven't heard hers. Is she preferable to Stern, too?

<oyþ@earthlink.net>

Perhaps, but where are our advocates in the press, pointing out that there are treasures other than what just happens to be currently available on the so-called 'major' labels?