This set, a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Prokofiev's death, contains some of the most familiar excerpts from his best-known works, from piano sonatas to stage works to orchestral works, with the exception of Peter and the Wolf. There are also a few excerpts from lesser-known works, such as the operas The Betrothal in the Monastery and Semyon Kotko, as well as the Sinfonia Concertante for cello and orchestra. Unfortunately, the short, four-minute Betrothal excerpt doesn't leave much of an impression; there's no ...
Read More
This set, a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Prokofiev's death, contains some of the most familiar excerpts from his best-known works, from piano sonatas to stage works to orchestral works, with the exception of Peter and the Wolf. There are also a few excerpts from lesser-known works, such as the operas The Betrothal in the Monastery and Semyon Kotko, as well as the Sinfonia Concertante for cello and orchestra. Unfortunately, the short, four-minute Betrothal excerpt doesn't leave much of an impression; there's no way to tell that it's a comic opera from the dialogue here. Performers on the discs include pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy; conductors Claudio Abbado, Seiji Ozawa, and André Previn; cellist Mischa Maisky; and the Kirov Chorus and Orchestra. Even though these are big names, and the performances are all commendable, many of them seem to lack that extra spark or depth of feeling; it's almost as if the recordings or performances themselves were "prettified" for a less shocking impact on...
Read Less
Add this copy of Prokofiev: Enfant Terrible (50th Anniversary to cart. $7.46, like new condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Decca.
