# Alexander Nevsky recordings



## adriesba

I thought for sure there was a thread for this but I can't find it.

What are everyone's favorite _Alexander Nevsky_ recordings?

My favorites are the Abbado recording and the Yablonsky recording.

Has anyone seen the vhs or laser disc release of the movie with re-recorded soundtrack?


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## D Smith

My favourite has always been Thomas Schippers, New York Philharmonic. I still have the LP record I purchased more years ago than I care to admit!


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## Triplets

I like Reiner, although a lot of people object to the fact that it is in English. Yablonsky in surround sound is an impressive experience


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## Heck148

Reiner..superb....I like Abbado and Schippers as well.


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## adriesba

Triplets said:


> I like Reiner, although a lot of people object to the fact that it is in English.


I have the Reiner on vinyl. I do prefer the Russian, but I think hearing it in English was interesting.


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## Rogerx

No 1.............. still Abbado.


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## Art Rock

I bought the Abbado around 1990, never felt a need to look further.










I did also get the (reconstruction of) the soundtrack to the movie. Interesting.


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## adriesba

Art Rock said:


> I bought the Abbado around 1990, never felt a need to look further.
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> I did also get the (reconstruction of) the soundtrack to the movie. Interesting.


Yes. The Abbado seems to be mentioned often. It is quite good!

I've wanted to get that film score cd, but it seems to be out of print.


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## Rogerx

adriesba said:


> Yes. The Abbado seems to be mentioned often. It is quite good!
> 
> I've wanted to get that film score cd, but it seems to be out of print.


Just this:

https://www.qobuz.com/nl-nl/album/prokofiev-s-alexander-nevsky-strobel-frank-strobel/0845221005829


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## adriesba

Rogerx said:


> Just this:
> 
> https://www.qobuz.com/nl-nl/album/prokofiev-s-alexander-nevsky-strobel-frank-strobel/0845221005829


Interesting. I've never seen that site before, thanks. :tiphat:

It's on Presto Classical too: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7960440--prokofiev-alexander-nevsky-op-78

I may only be able to get it digitally, but it's there.


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## Kiki

Concerning the cantata, Abbado's Battle on Ice is especially terrific. However, overall speaking it is Neeme Järvi that I've found the most satisfying. Kitajenko, Previn (x2), Svetlanov, Rostropovich, and Bychkov are all fine in one way or another, but overall not as satisfying as Järvi for me. The only one that I've heard but dislike from start to finish is Dutoit's. I find it facile, to put it nicely, but that's only me.

Frank Strobel's reconstructed film score (released by Capriccio) is authentic in the sense that he had access to the manuscripts of the original soundtrack and he used a small orchestra as Prokofiev did for the film soundtrack. While The chamber quality is more apparent than the familiar cantata, it also includes some rather unusual sounding winds. E.g. at the beginning of Battle on Ice, it sounds like the wind player is blowing into an empty bottle. 

Talking about that, I swear, while watching the film, I heard a mandolin (instead of winds) at the beginning of Battle on Ice! (When the priests give their blessings.) Even though the soundtrack is notorious for being horribly recorded, even by 1938 standard, I still find that difficult to believe.

On the other hand, another reconstructed version of the film score by Bill Brohm (conducted by Yuri Temirkanov, released by RCA) is also excellent. It was reconstructed by "ear" and it used the cantata as a reference for orchestration. The large orchestra used in this reconstruction is arguably a more satisfying listening experience in the concert hall or more likely at home. The only thing about this recording that bugs me is that it includes sound effects from, presumably, the film, specifically the clanking, stomping and roaring. Apart from that, I do find this version of the film score a more satisfying listen than Strobel's more authentic version.

Having said that, the cantata version remains, musically speaking, more satisfying than either of the reconstructed film scores.


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## JB Henson

As far as cantatas go from the ones I've heard...

1. Abbado
2. Dutoit
3. Previn 1971
4. Jaarvi
5. Previn 1986
6. Reiner
7. Gergiev
8. Rostropovich
9. Schippers

Frankly though the Temirkanov reconstruction is still my personal favorite. Sorry Strobel.


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## adriesba

:lol: Haha, One person doesn't like the Dutoit recording, another puts it in second place! I do like the Dutoit recording, but I do agree that it can be a bit bland at times. Thus it's not my favorite. I must say though, the most disappointing recording of the cantata to me is the Casadesus recording on Naxos. It's one of the blandest recordings I've heard of any work.


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## CnC Bartok

Years ago, I saw Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting the film score, along to the film itself, in the RFH in London. Great fun! As much as one can admire the Genius of Eisenstein, I must admit the film has dated worse than the music, and it's pure tub-thumping nationalist propaganda behind all the clever polystyrene ice and montage stuff.

I have to admit my favourite recording is Neeme Jarvi on Chandos. Karel Ancerl and Andre Previn (EMI) run him close, but I reckon Jarvi's Prokofiev is possibly his greatest contribution to the recorded catalogue.


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## haydnguy

I have the Abbado and Temirkanov recordings.

I haven't taken the Temirkanov out of the shrink wrap.


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## chill782002

I think the Temirkanov version of the film score is excellent. I also like the Svetlanov recording of the cantata.


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## Malx

Another Svetlanov recording worth a listen:


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## WildThing

The only recordings I've heard are by Abbado and Gergiev, and I've never been compelled to get another version. Although Prokofiev is one of my favorite composers, I've never been overly fond of this particular piece. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


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## Brahmsianhorn

Abbado and Reiner are both very good, but Schippers is beyond question the best I’ve heard


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## AeolianStrains

+1 Schippers from me, too. I have the Abbado somewhere, but I've listened to the Schippers far more often.


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## adriesba

It's been awhile since I listened to anything from the Schippers recording, but I thought "The Battle on the Ice" was lacking in emotion from what I remember. I'll have to listen to it again.


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## adriesba

Has anyone listened to this one? \/

View attachment 131454


It's one of the few that I don't think I've at least listened to bits of.
The album art is stressful though!


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## Simplicissimus

Reiner is the only recording I have and I’ve loved it for years. Based on the discussion here and given that Alexander Nevsky is such an important piece of music to me, I’m now resolved to buy Schippers and Abbado recordings so I can enjoy a little Nevsky festival in my living room .


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## adriesba

seitzpf said:


> Reiner is the only recording I have and I've loved it for years. Based on the discussion here and given that Alexander Nevsky is such an important piece of music to me, I'm now resolved to buy Schippers and Abbado recordings so I can enjoy a little Nevsky festival in my living room .


Yes, you will like it.


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