Search - Sergey Prokofiev, Ladislav Slovak, Christian Ehwald :: Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet ; Symphony/Concerto for cello & orchestra

AN OVERLOOKED PROKOFIEV TREASURE

George Leigh Hall | Raleigh NC | 09/23/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You may well know Prokofiev's hauntingly beautiful work which is unusually entitled A SYMPHONY-CONCERTO FOR CELLO (Opus 125). [Schwann used to call it - incorrectly - a Sinfonia Concertante, which it resembles in many respects. The composer specifically wanted it titled as I have shown - believing, as he did, that the orchestra should do more than pair with the solo instrument.]I had never heard it until this week - even though I have seen it mentioned in listings here and there. It's a "grand" work lasting some 40 minutes - and is, for all intents and purposes, a splendid modern cello concerto in which the accompanying orchestra behaves as it were playing a late romantic symphony rather than a concerto. The work grew out of the composer's Cello Concerto Number 1, put to paper back in the 1930's. He found fault with that effort and rewrote it - twice: the S-C is the final version - finished just before Prokofiev died in 1954. Rostropovitch played a role in the transformation, it seems. The demands placed on the soloist reflect his virtuoso abilities.Consider putting it on your list. I have just added a live concert reading by the energetic Slovak Orchestra under one Christian Ehwald, with cellist Truis [Otterberch-]Mork, a fairly well known chamber player in central Europe. It was released by POINT CLASSICS in 1997 through that budget label's English distributor, Master Tone.Great listening - especially, I anticipate, on those soon coming glorious fall days which can radiate a mellow sort of golden poetry all on their own.George"

You sent the wrong CD AGAIN!!!

Sherrie Dunford | Utah | 08/03/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I would love to review the cd. It is great. But the perplexing thing is how you could send me this CD twice when it is not the one I ordered."