Search - Sergey Prokofiev, Yuri Temirkanov, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra :: Prokofiev: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 5; Lieutenant Kijé Suite

Ecstatic

David Saemann | 06/23/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first thing to note about this recording is the excellence of the remastered sound. It is wide ranging, full bodied, beautifully balanced, and rich with excellent detail. All this would count for nothing if the performances weren't wonderful, which they are. Temirkanov exploits the wonderful virtuosity of his orchestra in readings full of color and detail. The Classical Symphony receives a very witty, almost off the cuff, fleet reading. Lt. Kije is perhaps the most controversial performance of the three. I liked it very much. There are some tempos that would seem slow in the hands of a lesser orchestra. In particular, the brass are full of verve and almost chamber like delicacy. As for the 5th Symphony, it is a strong, powerful statement (You've never heard the timpani banging away in the 1st movement like this.). I don't know that this is a better performance than the Rostropovich and Leinsdorf versions I like so much, but it certainly shakes the cobwebs out of the piece. Temirkanov, to put it simply, is one of our best conductors, and this CD is a beautiful reflection of his art."

A truly wonderful recording

T. Q. Nguyen | Boston, MA | 11/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I strongly recommend this recording to anybody who loves Prokofiev music. The "Classical Symphony" sparkles with wit, humour, and intelligence while the Fifth symphony, in contrast, is life itself. It has everything, beauty, ugliness, warmth, harshness, love, irony, and even a cold-blooded feeling. Mr. Temirkanov and the St.Petersburg Philharmonic perform these pieces as if they were the creator of the music. Everything has its meaning. They simply understand what the music is about and they are to make you believe it."

A great performance that shows its fangs at times

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 10/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Temirkanov strikes me as Russia's greatest living conductor along with Valery Gergiev, as borne out by this riveting account of Prokofiev's two most popular symphonies. Most striking is his approach to the Fifth. In place of sardonic wit, we get slashing, savage passages that feel wildly intense. but as a previous reviewer notes, ther's a vast range of expression, from ecstatic bombast to almost chamber-like delicacy. Adding ot the visceral impact, RCA's sonics are heavily weighted toward the bass end, so that timpani and double basses sometimes boom out almost louder than the rest of the orchestra. The snare drum parts jump out of the speakers like artillery.



These emphases heighten an alter, exciting performance that I would rate as high as my old favorites, Bernstein form New YOrk (Sony) and Karajan with the Berliners (DG). The remainder of the CD, including an excellent Classical Sym. but a run-of-the-mill Lt. Kije Suite, doesn't approach a similar level of abandon."