# Prokofiev Piano Concerto 2



## les24preludes (May 1, 2018)

One of the great piano concerti. Which are your favourite versions?

I'll kick off with a selection:
Kissin/Philh/Ashkenazy
Rana/RAI/Slobodeniouk 
Krainev/Frankfurt/Kitaenko 
Postnikova/USSR SSO/Rozhdestvensky 
Berezovsky/Moscow Conservatoire/Temirkanov - 2016 
Cherkassky/Philh/Menges
Cherkassky/LPO/Nagano
Bolet/Amer. SO/Stokowski 1971 
Henriot-Schweitzer/BPO/Munch 
Gutierrez/CGBO/Jarvi 
Petrov/Swedish 1988 live 
Beroff/Gewandhaus/Masur 
Zak/Sanderling 1960s 
Bavouzet/BBC/Noseda


I deliberately left out a few big names (Wang, Ashkenazy etc) because I preferred the above. Postnikova runs rings around Wang in this, just as one example, Rana is excellent and Henriot-Schweitzer does some original things. Despite its difficulty, this concerto doesn't scare off the good female pianists.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

My favourite of the five. Only concerto 3 comes close. I know and rate highly some of those you mention, particularly:

Kissin/Philh/Ashkenazy
Gutierrez/CGBO/Jarvi 
Bavouzet/BBC/Noseda

I am alone in the world in not being that taken by Beatrice Rana (she sounds a little prosaic to my ears in this piece). One you don't mention that I rate very highly indeed is

Vinnitskaya/Berlin Deutsches Symphony Orchestra/Varga (coupled with an equally "world beating" Ravel Concerto in G):









I also think

Vadym Kholodenko/Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra/Miguel Harth-Bedoya (coupled with a 5 that is as good as anyone I've heard except Richter)

is pretty good.


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## les24preludes (May 1, 2018)

Enthusiast said:


> One you don't mention that I rate very highly indeed is Vinnitskaya/Berlin Deutsches Symphony Orchestra/Varga (coupled with an equally "world beating" Ravel Concerto in G)


Thanks for that - I hadn't heard her. She has plenty of rhythm and flow - impressive. I'm also impressed that she plays whole chunks of it with her eyes closed.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

les24preludes said:


> One of the great piano concerti. Which are your favourite versions?
> 
> I'll kick off with a selection:
> Kissin/Philh/Ashkenazy
> ...


A girl called Lauren Zhang played Prokofiev's Second in the grand final of BBC Young Musician of the year 2018. Don't know how "good" she was, spent 35 minutes with my jaw on the floor amazed by her virtuosity! Unbelievable!!

She won, by the way...

Sorry, but I like Ashkenazy, maybe a slight preference for Kun Woo Paik on Naxos?


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## les24preludes (May 1, 2018)

Robert Pickett said:


> A girl called Lauren Zhang played Prokofiev's Second in the grand final of BBC Young Musician of the year 2018.


Yes, indeed, and that initially caused me to trawl through the available versions. She was a worthy winner on the day, and very media-friendly as well, which probably counts these days. But I was left unsatisfied and immediately after her win turned to YT to see what I was missing, which turned out to be quite a lot!

I think Beatrice Rana was more interesting at her age - she's 8 years older now. Zhang won the BBC at 17, while Rana won the first prize and special jury prizes at the Montreal at 18. Vinnitskaya won the Jaen and audience prize at 19 and went on to win the Queen Elizabeth at age 24. Postnikova won prizes at the Chopin and Leeds, which are likewise much bigger than the BBC.

It remains to be seen how Zhang will follow up her win.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Ashkenazy for me. I judge them by how the play the first movement and finale. Some just don't have character. Wang's was the worst for me. Ashkenazy is very deliberately unrefined in the first movement, and it sounds more spontaneous and has an animalistic ferocity than some I've heard.


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## les24preludes (May 1, 2018)

Phil loves classical said:


> Ashkenazy is very deliberately unrefined in the first movement, and it sounds more spontaneous and has an animalistic ferocity than some I've heard.


If you want fierce in the first movement, try Petrov in Stockholm in 1988. He kills the first movement and sticks a fork in it. It's like an episode of "Homicide - Life on the Street".


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

les24preludes said:


> If you want fierce in the first movement, try Petrov in Stockholm in 1988. He kills the first movement and sticks a fork in it. It's like an episode of "Homicide - Life on the Street".


He has riproaring great technique. But for those moments from 7:30 to around 8:30 in this version, I feel Ashkenazy has a greater barbaric and spontaneous quality that I look for. I can't find a clip on YouTube.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I really do not think that barbarism is a defining feature of this work. It starts wistfully, magically and builds from there with ups and downs. Emphatic, yes, but barbarous? The second movement is lively but too banging an approach risks killing it (and can sound like a cover for inadequate virtuosity). The third movement does have space for barbarism and the last movement _is _intense. There is a lot in this concerto and I guess many approaches can work, but only so long as they don't leave out too many of the various nuances.

Meanwhile, I've just thought of another recording that is pretty good:

Kirill Gerstein/Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/James Gaffigan. This is sadly coupled with (another) Tchaik 1 - but at least it provides a fairly unique take on it.


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## les24preludes (May 1, 2018)

Enthusiast said:


> I really do not think that barbarism is a defining feature of this work. It starts wistfully, magically and builds from there with ups and downs. Emphatic, yes, but barbarous?


I don't even think that that the first sections need be all that emphatic. But like you say, the mystery and magic is not negotiable. Prokofiev was very good at this (Visions Fugitives) and it's in most of his work. For the mystery and magic I'd go for pianists like Rana, Cherkassky/Menges, Krainev, Gutierrez, Postnikova, Nicole Henriot-Schweitzer/Munch, Bolet/Stokowski. These are most of my preferred versions anyway. Bolet probably sounds the closest to how Prokofiev himself played. It's a bit uncanny sometimes.


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## Ras (Oct 6, 2017)

I have very little experience with Prokofiev. *I have the complete box from Bronfman on Sony - It contains all the piano concertos and all the piano sonatas*. +something called "Overture on Hebrew Themes". 
The box is part of a good series of dirt cheap boxes from Sony.


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

My collection of recordings of the second piano concerto isn't nearly as large, but here's how I rate the 3 I own:

1. Toradze/Gergiev
2. Bronfman/Mehta
3. Kempf/Litton


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

Pianist John Browning's recording of the Prokofiev 2nd with Erich Leinsdorf is one of the better versions I've heard (along with Ashkenazy & Bavouzet's):

https://www.amazon.com/Prokofiev-Pi...-bar-strip-0&keywords=john+browning+prokofiev






It's a pity that neither Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav Richter, Lazar Berman, Matti Raekallio, or Andrei Gavrilov ever recorded it.


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## BiscuityBoyle (Feb 5, 2018)

There's a much earlier recording by Jorge Bolet I remember liking a lot better than the one from the 1970s. 

As an aside, I believe this work has some great music but the first movement is kinda overwrought and smacks too much of Rachmaninov for my taste... The third movement is unarguably brilliant though. Personally, I find the three piano concerti that followed both more original and better structured.


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## les24preludes (May 1, 2018)

BiscuityBoyle said:


> There's a much earlier recording by Jorge Bolet I remember liking a lot better than the one from the 1970s.
> 
> As an aside, I believe this work has some great music but the first movement is kinda overwrought and smacks too much of Rachmaninov for my taste... The third movement is unarguably brilliant though. Personally, I find the three piano concerti that followed both more original and better structured.


The early Bolet with Stokowski is the best, like you say. Sounds spookily like Prokofiev himself at the piano. For the other concerti I listen a lot to #3. Mostly Byron Janis and Prokofiev himself, plus Richter in 5. You're ahead of me in #4. Never really listened to that. I listen a lot to the sonatas and Visions Fugitives.

In answer to Josquin, there is indeed a lot of love for Browning especially among Americans who hold him dear. I don't think this is one of his better recordings, but that's just me. I wish Prokofiev himself had recorded #2. And Argerich maybe. Samson Francois definitely.


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## BiscuityBoyle (Feb 5, 2018)

I got into the 4th (the left-hand concerto) through this recording by Prokofiev's musical assistant and Richter's two-piano partner, the brilliant Anatoly Vedernikov (Prokofiev's 6th PC, which survived in sketches only, was for two pianos, dedicated to Richter and Vedernikov).






It's an obscure work that isn't as rewarding on first listen as many of Prokofiev's works are, but it really grows on you.

John Browning's recording of the Prokofiev 1st is a masterpiece. The 2nd maybe a bit less so. And (though not a huge fan of the work) I do wish Gilels and Richter had recorded it...


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## les24preludes (May 1, 2018)

BiscuityBoyle said:


> Prokofiev's 6th PC, which survived in sketches only, was for two pianos, dedicated to Richter and Vedernikov.


How interesting. I know Richter and Vedernikov were an occasional duo - I have a great performance of them playing a 2 piano concerto by Bach. Fantastic motor energy. Richter was like that in Prokofiev.


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## BiscuityBoyle (Feb 5, 2018)

Moreover, 3-4 pages of the about 20 that survived are in Vedernikov's handwriting.

Yeah that Bach concerto is a fantastic recording and IMHO Vedernikov was as great a Bach interpreter as his far more famous friend, his English suites and partitas are pretty stunning. With Prokofiev he often went for the more shall we say cerebral or "intellectually challenging", if that's a thing in music :lol:, opuses, with incredible results. The left-hand concerto, the fifth piano sonata or Pensees have never been played better.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Ras said:


> I have very little experience with Prokofiev. *I have the complete box from Bronfman on Sony - It contains all the piano concertos and all the piano sonatas*. +something called "Overture on Hebrew Themes".
> The box is part of a good series of dirt cheap boxes from Sony.
> 
> View attachment 105498


I've got that set too. I found his War Sonatas a bit underpowered and ponderous, for those I go with Richter.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

My favorite Prokofiev concerto. Yes, I like Browning/Leinsdorf (which I heard once live) because of the concerto's weird lyricism it brings out -- which many another more hard-assed soloist neglects to bring out. I especially like the third movement, because I think it attempts to be a passacaglia without really being one.


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## Rach Man (Aug 2, 2016)

Enthusiast said:


> One you don't mention that I rate very highly indeed is
> 
> Vinnitskaya/Berlin Deutsches Symphony Orchestra/Varga (coupled with an equally "world beating" Ravel Concerto in G):
> 
> View attachment 105447


Solely on your recommendation, I looked to buy this CD. The only place that I saw a CD for sale was at Amazon. There were two third-party sellers who wanted over $200 for the CD.

There are downloads for sale. But does anyone know of a place where I can buy the CD for a reasonable price?


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Rach Man said:


> Solely on your recommendation, I looked to buy this CD. The only place that I saw a CD for sale was at Amazon. There were two third-party sellers who wanted over $200 for the CD.
> 
> There are downloads for sale. But does anyone know of a place where I can buy the CD for a reasonable price?


Try this link (I think it is American):

https://naxosdirect.com/items/prokofiev-ravel-piano-concertos-271343

They say that the item is discontinued (it only came out a year ago!!) and that it will only be available while stocks last.


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## Rach Man (Aug 2, 2016)

Enthusiast said:


> Try this link (I think it is American):
> 
> https://naxosdirect.com/items/prokofiev-ravel-piano-concertos-271343
> 
> They say that the item is discontinued (it only came out a year ago!!) and that it will only be available while stocks last.


Thanks for the link. But it appears that they are sold out. I don't think the CD is out there.

I can buy the download from iTunes fairly cheaply. So I think I will do that.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Rach Man said:


> Thanks for the link. But it appears that they are sold out. I don't think the CD is out there.
> 
> I can buy the download from iTunes fairly cheaply. So I think I will do that.


Oh dear. There does seem to be one used copy at a fairly sensible price (Euro 24) - the seller may be willing to do international shipping if you ask or do you know anyone in France who could buy it for you and send it on? - or new at Euro 58 on the French Amazon site.

And I can see it as a FLAC or (MP3) download on Presto Classical but they are a UK seller so I suppose it won't work from the US? https://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/c...5150--prokofiev-ravel-piano-concertos#reviews. Personally, I would only resort to iTunes (or Amazon) for downloads if all other options are closed.

I suppose also you could try writing to Naive Records? They may be planning a re-release.

Sorry - all long shots, really. MP3s from iTunes are usually OK providing you are OK with the bit rate.


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## Rach Man (Aug 2, 2016)

I just listened to Gerstein and thought it was fantastic.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

It is a great work and my favorite Prokofiev concerto, at the moment I think my favorite is Rana / Slobodeniouk.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

The Second concerto combines beauty with audacity in a way that has me on the edge of my seat when that gigantic first movement cadenza begins. I prefer the Krainev/Kitaenko performance. The Third concerto shows Prokofiev turning the dial more to the Sheer Beauty side of its range--the two concertos are wonderful companions to one another.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

There are two Krainev/Kitayenko sets of the concertos, one from Frankfurt and one from Moscow. They are quite different - the Moscow one is the most tense of them.

In the 2nd Concerto, I like Krainev/Moscow and Yundi Li/DG in particular. I also have Ashkenazy/Previn and Ashkenazy/Kondrashin and Browning, all good, plus, among the historical recordings, Yakov Zak, which isn't as good as I expected.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

joen_cph said:


> Thre are two Krainev/Kitayenko sets of the concertos, one rom Frankfurt and one from Moscow. They are quite different - the Moscow one is the most tense of them.


I have the Frankfort and shall endeavor to hear the Moscow.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

I can recommend it for sure. All 5 concertos get stellar performances, IMO. Timeless, masterly music.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Strange Magic said:


> The Second concerto combines beauty with audacity in a way that has me on the edge of my seat when that gigantic first movement cadenza begins. I prefer the Krainev/Kitaenko performance. The Third concerto shows Prokofiev turning the dial more to the Sheer Beauty side of its range--the two concertos are wonderful companions to one another.


But the "2nd concerto" as we know it was written after the 3rd. The original 2nd was lost and the one numbered as 2 was rewritten years later with Prokofiev acknowledging that he had essentially created a new work.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

I fell in love with this Concerto with Yeol Eum Son from South Korea. I consider her an outstanding pianist, and this ravishing, sometimes strident Concerto is a bear to play:


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Once, in Chicago on a business trip, I heard Gerghiev perform it with the CSO and some Russian tank driver (whose name I have forgotten) as the soloist. They basically re-enacted World War II.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Browning 12 CD box for 18.60

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8303768--john-browning-the-complete-rca-collection


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## paulbest (Apr 18, 2019)

les24preludes said:


> One of the great piano concerti. Which are your favourite versions?
> 
> I'll kick off with a selection:
> Kissin/Philh/Ashkenazy
> ...


Ok just got back from some research
We can scratch Vinnitskaya off the list,,,took me no more than 1 minute, actually the 1st few bars.
Cherkassky/Menges, strike that one off as well.

Krainev both his Frankfurt and with the USSR, are nearly the same. Slightly prefer the Frankfurt,,but I could be rong. Excellent.
Beroff/Masur I found to be quite good.
I like Brofman quite a lot.
Kissin I may have, and I think as I recall, is very good.
Bavouzet says one amazon comment, is too French style, not enough Russian temperament,,which I intuited and avoided buying that cd, even w/o hearing it.
I noted you left 1 - 4 others out the list,,and for good reason...let me track down the others on your list and see what I find.
Great concerto indeed, and worthy to have as many great records as one can lay ones hands on.

I want to ck out Gutierrez/Jarvi/Royal Concertgebouw...just did,,,i am back. 
Nice beginning,,but am afraid has issues, orch and soloist.
scratch that one off the list as well....

Postnikova, was OK, nothing *memorable*


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## paulbest (Apr 18, 2019)

joen_cph said:


> There are two Krainev/Kitayenko sets of the concertos, one from Frankfurt and one from Moscow. They are quite different - the Moscow one is the most tense of them.
> 
> .


Just now see your post,,I just made the comment, *I can not tell them apart,,at least from what I remember*,,I actually perfered the Frankfurt,,to my surprise. ..Let me dig them out my moving boxes one day and give both a spin. 
At the end of the day, I could nopt decide which was my fav, either of the 2 Krainev, Demidenko, Brofman.
I like all 4. Plus Ashkenazy makes a 5th in my collection. 
To rate the 5, may be futile, as I recall all 5 as excellent and the compare ended on that note.

Listening to Beatrice rana at the moment, YT,,its quite good, yet not going to add a 6th record,,Plus I may/may not have the Kissin/Ashenazy, which I know is quite good, as Kissin is a fine pianist and worthy of the great challenge.


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## paulbest (Apr 18, 2019)

I like the Brofman set, Zubin Meta and his Israeli SO are all in sync with the score and provide excellent support for Brofman 's execution of the masterpiece.
That aside. We have Ashkenazy with Previn leading the London SO, a group which was at the height of its creative powers under Previn back in the early 1970's. 
Ashkenazy understands the score quite well 
This is all based on just the 1st 6 minutes/1st movement.
Now we have up is
Krainev,,not his USSR record with Kitaenko , which I trashed over at amazon in 2017, *trash*
His record with the same great Russian conductor Kitaenko , now with a superior orchestra, The Frankfurt. 
Again Kitaenko is not inferior to Previn , and the Frankfurt answers quite well to their competitor, The London SO.

It all comes down to this. 
Both are excellent, and one can not fault either, and will bring in Brofman/Meta/Israeli as a 3rd in this group of great Prokofiev's 2nd piano concerto...
good nite…..……..


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

CnC Bartok said:


> A girl called Lauren Zhang played Prokofiev's Second in the grand final of BBC Young Musician of the year 2018. Don't know how "good" she was, spent 35 minutes with my jaw on the floor amazed by her virtuosity! Unbelievable!!
> 
> She won, by the way...
> 
> Sorry, but I like Ashkenazy, maybe a slight preference for Kun Woo Paik on Naxos?


Yes I heard this kid. Same reaction - jaw on floor. She was only 16 and studying for her GCSE's at the time! I wonder if Prokofiev thought a teenage kid would be able to throw off this fiendishly difficult piece like that? Be interesting how she develops her career. Not too fast I hope.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Ras said:


> I have very little experience with Prokofiev. *I have the complete box from Bronfman on Sony - It contains all the piano concertos and all the piano sonatas*. +something called "Overture on Hebrew Themes".
> The box is part of a good series of dirt cheap boxes from Sony.
> 
> View attachment 105498


I'vegot this. Good performances. Real bargain.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

I have Bronfman's sonata set and agree, it is good.

For the concertos, I prefer some individual ones, besides Krainev/Moscow as a general set. I personally skipped Krainev/Frankfurt, Paik/Naxos and Beroff/EMI. Haven't heard Bronfman.

Some others I like are: 
Argerich/Dutoit in the the 3rd and 1st, Yundi Li's 2nd, Browning (don't have the complete set, but am now considering it), Kapell's 3rd, Richter's 1st.
The Ashkenazy/Previn set is good too. There's also a very old Ashkenazy/Kondrashin on EMI, but I don't remember it as something extraordinary.

Yakov Zak for instance is disppointing in the 2nd, IMO.

There's also a - rather hurried - Prokofiev 3rd Cto with himself as soloist.


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## paulbest (Apr 18, 2019)

scratch Kissin off the list, why?
As one amazon comment has it *sure played perfect,,,but is it played well?*
Paraphrase mine,,as I can not recall his aphorism.
so I head to YT and listened carefully to Kssin.
with Abbado and with Ashkenazy.
Sure it is played with skill. 
But I and others are looking for something special. Kissin shows powerful skills , yet at the end of the day, I think Ashkenazy and Brofman hasa bit more<Nuances> going on. 
I could be wrong.


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## paulbest (Apr 18, 2019)

I may have to give Brofman the edge over Ashkenazy.<<???>>

Or lets say, both are on a level beyond critic. which translates its futile at any attempt.

Just listen to this.






I have more than 30 years as recording critic. for credentials. 
Though I have zero musical training, I have a inner ear which at times can get to a recording , rather quickly,,,justa few bars, at times, 1 bar,,other times I have to listen 2,3,4 times to figure out whats going on. 
It all depends on the composer, the works, Some works like Grieg's PC, Rachmaninov PC1 and others,,as long as the artist stays within certain parameters and craftmanship, I have no issues..
btw there are bad recordings of these and other easy concertos. I actually heard a  very poor Greig and a extremely poor recording of Tchaikovsky PC1, So bad I could hardly make out it was Tchaikovsky PC1. 
The Grieg as well was unacceptable. 
You know FM classical plays some standard, below grade performances ,,They have no taste. 
FM classical is generic, its just a waste of time to expect great performances.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

paulbest said:


> I may have to give Brofman the edge over Ashkenazy.<<???>>
> 
> Or lets say, both are on a level beyond critic. which translates its futile at any attempt.
> 
> ...


30 years as a recording critic? is that a recommendation? :lol:

It's not that Classic FM don't have any taste it's just that they cater for people in the popular end of the market and one thing I cannot stand is people dissing a channel which is bringing classical music to people who would not normally listen to it . If you don't like it switch it off. I think it's great to listen to in the car


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## paulbest (Apr 18, 2019)

yeah I guess a tasteless , and biased, (never play any of my top fav late 20thC composers) is better than ,,,none at all. 
and if the listeners were really so enthralled and beloved of their CM channel, why do the public FM CM channel beg for station support money 2 X's a year during a week period? 

Where's the love?


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## Littlephrase (Nov 28, 2018)

paulbest said:


> yeah I guess a tasteless , and biased, (never play any of my top fav late 20thC composers) is better than ,,,none at all.
> and if the listeners were really so enthralled and beloved of their CM channel, why do the public FM CM channel beg for station support money 2 X's a year during a week period?
> 
> Where's the love?


Oh Paul, I'm afraid if Classic FM played Schnittke and Pettersson, they'd be scaring away new listeners rather than inviting them.


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## paulbest (Apr 18, 2019)

Littlephrase1913 said:


> Oh Paul, I'm afraid if Classic FM played Schnittke and Pettersson, they'd be scaring away new listeners rather than inviting them.


Yeah no doubt
as we know FM CM is mostly for hetic drivers stuck in traffic, seems to calm the nerves,,and office background music as the secretaries like to moan *CM helps me get through the drudgery*


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Paul, you should consider listening for yourself sometime, rather than basing your judgments on others’ Amazon reviews


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Littlephrase1913 said:


> Oh Paul, I'm afraid if Classic FM played Schnittke and Pettersson, they'd be scaring away new listeners rather than inviting them.


Of course they would. Myself included. Remarkably, however, there is quite a bit of classical music to listen to outside of these two worthies.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

paulbest said:


> Yeah no doubt
> as we know FM CM is mostly for hetic drivers stuck in traffic, seems to calm the nerves,,and office background music as the secretaries like to moan *CM helps me get through the drudgery*


Anything wrong with that? I find Classic FM great to listen to on a journey. Why the sneer in your voice? No they don't cater for those who only like modern music but you can go to radio 3 for that. As I say, if you don't like music other people enjoy then turn it off .


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## paulbest (Apr 18, 2019)

well no , amazon 1, 2 stars can quite often tell the truth. i am fascinated with the star Yuja WANG'a playing, so i went to amazon to order her Prokofiev,,what do i find a Venezuela conductor with the Venezuela Sym.
Now i would never ordera cd with the Venezuela SO, For several reasons. 
So i decided to ck out the 1, 2 star comments, Yep sure enough, i comment lets me know the orch is lousey And that wang , although highly skilled, misses some of the musical element. 
She is young, and hopefully will remake the Prokofiev 2nd PC with a capable orchestra. 
This is how I use amazon as a tool to help locating the superior recordings. 
I always go 1, 2 stars 1st, for the Gods honest truth. Then i work my way up,,,sometimes NOT, as in this Venezuelan orch cd, I already made a point not to buy this cd. 
Pre hearing, pre reading comments. 
Let me get back to the german news docu on Wang, its like 40 minutes, I am at 30 minutes, she is very well received whereever she performs. 
I like her style.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Never mind, not that important


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

paulbest said:


> well no , amazon 1, 2 stars can quite often tell the truth. i am fascinated with the star Yuja WANG'a playing, so i went to amazon to order her Prokofiev,,what do i find a Venezuela conductor with the Venezuela Sym.
> Now i would never ordera cd with the Venezuela SO, For several reasons.
> So i decided to ck out the 1, 2 star comments, Yep sure enough, i comment lets me know the orch is lousey And that wang , although highly skilled, misses some of the musical element.
> She is young, and hopefully will remake the Prokofiev 2nd PC with a capable orchestra.
> ...


I am surprised that you ignore and throw back recommendations and advice you get here - often insulting the people giving it by suggesting that they must be inexperienced - but are in thrall to punter reviews of Amazon (a few reviewers aside, possibly the worst source for advice that I know).


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## paulbest (Apr 18, 2019)

Enthusiast said:


> I am surprised that you ignore and throw back recommendations and advice you get here - often insulting the people giving it by suggesting that they must be inexperienced - but are in thrall to punter reviews of Amazon (a few reviewers aside, possibly the worst source for advice that I know).


some folks here are tolerant of most of my antics. They have gotten use to me now, they just shrug off any of my ,,,gushings,,as frivolous and perhaps entertaining. 
They also note i have some years listening to CM and so , have at least 2 cents to say. 
A real 1950's 2 cents, when you could get a cup of coffee for a nickle.


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## paulbest (Apr 18, 2019)

Yuja's 2nd Prokofiev concerto

I think Yuja's performance is quite good, Paavo Javi's conducting is good, the Berlin Philharmonic is a bit of a let down.


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## Fredrikalansson (Jan 29, 2019)

No. 2 is my favourite. It's like a series of visions: mysterious, barbaric, awe-inspiring, playful; you name it. The trick is to hold it all together. Too much of one thing, such as the barn storming barbarism, and the soul of the piece goes missing. Mere virtuosity won't do.

My favourite recordings are Beroff/Masur and Kempff/Litton. And I admit I haven't heard a lot of the recordings mentioned elsewhere in this thread. 

As someone else mentioned, Bazouvet is very French. His elegance and suppleness help bring the performance together. Considering the years Prokofiev spent in the City of Light absorbing the French influences, it's a fair approach. I enjoy Bazouvet's performance, but it's not a first pick.

A recording that flies under the radar is on Supraphon with a pianist named Dagmar Baloghova, Ancerl conducting. I know nothing about Ms. Baloghova, but the concerto holds no terrors for her. And for those who are let down by the orchestral accompaniment on a lot of recordings, Ancerl and the Czech Philharmonic are superb. The CD also includes the Prokofiev first concerto (with Richter!), and also a cracking good account of the Classical Symphony, one of the best I've heard. If you love Prokofiev, this Cd is worth getting, despite the dated sound.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

^ The work was completed in 1913, before Prokofiev had left Russia. But it was lost and Prokofiev "reconstructed" it in 1923, while he was in France and after the 3rd concerto. So the French influence that you hear must have come from his "improving" rather than "reconstructing" it. The Ancerl disc you mention is a good one but there really are many fine accounts of the 2nd concerto.


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## Fredrikalansson (Jan 29, 2019)

Enthusiast said:


> ^ The work was completed in 1913, before Prokofiev had left Russia. But it was lost and Prokofiev "reconstructed" it in 1923, while he was in France and after the 3rd concerto. So the French influence that you hear must have come from his "improving" rather than "reconstructing" it. The Ancerl disc you mention is a good one but there really are many fine accounts of the 2nd concerto.


Are there any particular ones you would recommend? Your top favourite? Have you heard Beatrice Rana? I confess to being a bit disappointed in her Goldberg Variations. The Ancerl disc is elevated by the additional items (IMHO).


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

les24preludes said:


> One of the great piano concerti. Which are your favourite versions?
> 
> Gutierrez/CGBO/Jarvi


I love the Jarvi set and No.2 is my go to Prokofiev concerto.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Fredrikalansson said:


> Are there any particular ones you would recommend? Your top favourite? Have you heard Beatrice Rana? I confess to being a bit disappointed in her Goldberg Variations. The Ancerl disc is elevated by the additional items (IMHO).


Lots of people liked Rana in this work but I find her a little prosaic. Bavouzet, Gerstein, Gutierrez, Harth-Bedoya and Toradze are all good. My favourite, though, is definitely Vinnitskaya. It is coupled with an equally good Ravel concerto (one of the absolute best IMO) but is only still available as a download.


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## BiscuityBoyle (Feb 5, 2018)

Not one of my favorite works by perhaps my favorite composer - it's too long, overblown, Rachmaninoff-esque, lacking the trademark Prokofiev wit and groove, the piano part seems to just pile up the difficulties in a calculated bid to stun the listener and enter the pantheon as the "ultimate virtuoso piano concert" or whatever. 

Having said all that, the 3rd movement is genuinely stunning, one of his greatest.


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