# Prokofiev symphonies, preferred performances



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Naxos has issued the entire cycle of Prokofiev symphonies, with a lot of other orchestral music as fillers, performed by the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop.

I listened to Nos. 5 and 6, my favorites, today. I thought the sonics and playing were both excellent but the performances seriously lacked excitement and impact.

Curious what Prokofiev symphony performances others prefer, and why.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

#2 - Rozh'sky/USSR
#3 - Kondrashin/CSO, Rozh'sky/USSR
#4 - Rozh'sky/USSR
#5 - Levine/CSO
#6 - Mravinsky/LenPO [5/67, Praga], Ormandy/PhilaO; Honorable mention: Rozh'sky/USSR


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Symphony No.1 ("Classical") Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra
Symphony No.4 Ormandy/Philadelphia Orch.
Symphony No.5 Kletzki/Philharmonia Orchestra, Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic and Ansermet/Suisse Romande Orchestra


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Heck148 said:


> #2 - Rozh'sky/USSR
> #3 - Kondrashin/CSO, Rozh'sky/USSR
> #4 - Rozh'sky/USSR
> #5 - Levine/CSO
> #6 - Mravinsky/LenPO [5/67, Praga], Ormandy/PhilaO; Honorable mention: Rozh'sky/USSR


Appreciate the Rozh mentions! I learned Prokofiev's 6th many years ago from the Ormandy performance on LP. It has long been totally displaced by Rozhdestvensky's recording, which shows what it's all about. The Rozh cycle, overall, has been my favorite for quite a while. There are others, of course, I've never heard.


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

Symphony No.5 Kletzki/Philharmonia Orchestra


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I agree with your assessment of the Alsop recordings. Great sonic, unfortunately a conductor who seems to have no understanding of the Composer. And to be sure, I am not an admirer of all of the Prokofiev Symphonies. The Second, in particular, is one that I don't care if I ever hear again, and the Third isn't as objectionable to me, but it hasn't registered in my musical consciousness. The Seventh requires a Sympathetic Conductor, and then there is the issue of which ending to go with.
1 & 5 are the two acknowledged masterpieces, and 4 & 6 are great pieces as well. There are many good and great recordings to choose from for both. I grew up with a recording of Efrem Kurtz leading the Philharmonia in the Classical Symphony on an lp that was paired with Peter & the Wolf but I haven't heard that in ages. Levine and the CSO made a superb 1 and that is what I turn to.
5 also leaves one spoiled for choice; Ormandy, Karajan, and Mravinsky are my choices.
There is a set with Ormandy early 1960s recordings of 4,5,6, and his mono 7, and that is what I listen to. Ormandy seems to be attuned to the Composer and his occasional quirks, and the Philadelphia Orchestra was the perfect instrument for Prokofiev


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Although this is from years ago, and his overall tenure is controversial, Leinsdorf had a reputation as somewhat of a Prokofiev specialist with the BSO, and his Fifth (along with a number of the concerti) is one of my favorites.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

1 Ormandy/Philadelphia

3 Abbado/LSO

5 Noseda / BBC Philharmonic

6 Ormandy / Philadelphia

6 Mravinsky / Leningrad Philharmonic


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## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

I'm quite fond of these three recordings. 3 is so diabolical with Muti. 5 with Levine is spontaneous and makes this piece really come alive. Too many recordings of number 5 feel tired. And I really love 6 with Järvi. 

3. Riccardo Muti with Philadelphia Orchestra
5. James Levine with Chicago SO
6. Neeme Järvi with Scottish National Orchestra


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

#s 5, 6 and 3 are my favorites....all great symphonies, IMO. my long time favorite #3 was Rozh'sky/USSR...then I heard the magnificent live Kondrashin/CSO version[ '86, IIRC. ] I think Kondrashin actually prevails...he gets the wonderfully spooky, creepy midrange sonorities to sound -high bassoon, low flutes, violas...and the CSO trombones are totally superb on the high tessitura passages in mvt I and IV. amazing work.
Jarvis #6 is well played, and recorded RSNO/Chandos, but Jarvi's conducting is pretty bland, pedestrian, esp when compared with Mravinsky and Ormandy.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

If you want complete sets, there are two that I really treasure:

The first was on Vox with Jean Martinon and the National Orchestra of the ORTF (Paris). The sound is dated, the playing fabulously sketchy, the woodwinds magnificent and the conducting exactly right. Martinon was one of the great, unsung conductors and it's just too bad that he couldn't have made these with a better orchestra, say in Chicago. Nonetheless, for the spirit and energy, these recordings are still tops.

The second was once on Decca and is conducted by Walter Weller. Solid, musical, well played and recorded and quite enjoyable.

There are of course many other sets, some I like (Gergiev, Jarvi, Rostropovich) some I don't. The problem is that unlike Beethoven, Brahms and Mahler the Prokofieff symphonies have never been played that much (other than 1 and 5) and there's no performance tradition to build on. Won't likely change either. In 50 years of going to concerts I still have never heard 2 or 4 live.

If I were to build a set from individual recordings it'd go like this:
1) Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
2) Leinsdorf/Boston
3) Abbado/LSO
4) Ormany/Philadelphia
5) Koussevitsky/Boston
6) Slatkin/St. Louis
7) Malko/Philharmonia


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Nobody here ever heard Zdeněk Košler's set on Supraphon? Best of the lot!!!


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Best seventh for me is Nicolai Malko with the Philharmonia - super.
I believe Malko and Prokofiev were friends, does this gives Malko some special insight, that I doubt but this performance for me is very special.

I haven't heard Kosler's set but there certainly seems to be plenty advocates for the recordings - I must try and give them a listen.


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